Knowledge and Practices of Diabetes Foot Care and Risk of Developing Foot Ulcers in México May Have Implications for Patients of Méxican Heritage Living in the US.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between knowledge and foot care practices among adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods A descriptive correlational study examined 200 patients with type 2 diabetes in México. Data collected included the Knowledge and Practices Self-Care Questionnaire and a Podiatry Examination Questionnaire. Data analysis included Pearson's correlations and chi-square tests. Results More than half of the participants had poor knowledge and poor foot care practices. A significant negative correlation between knowledge and practices of foot care and risk of developing diabetes foot ulcers was found. There was no relationship between sociodemographic variables and the risk of developing diabetes foot ulcers. Conclusions Patients with type 2 diabetes served in an outpatient clinic had poor knowledge and practices of foot care. They demonstrated decreased knowledge and practice of foot care and therefore showed a greater risk of developing diabetes foot, which may predispose patients to early complications.

Self-Care Behaviors and Glycemic Control in Low-Income Adults in México With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus May Have Implications for Patients of Mexican Heritage Living in the United States.

This study examined self-care behaviors and their relationship to glycemic control in low-income Mexican adults with type 2 diabetes in Southeastern Tamaulipas, México. A total of 135 patients were enrolled from 17 community health centers. The most frequent self-care behavior was medication management (80%), and the least frequent self-care behavior was self blood glucose monitoring (7%). All the patients demonstrated poor glycemic control, with glycated hemoglobin > 7%. Self-care behaviors were associated with fasting blood glucose (rs = .223, p = .005). Medication management was influenced by cognitive performance, F(1, 130) = 4.49, p = .036, and depression, F(1, 130) = 8.22, p = .005. Dietary behaviors were influenced by previous diabetes education, F(1, 130) = 6.73, p = .011. These findings indicate that education and cognitive behavioral interventions in Spanish for Mexican adults with type 2 diabetes are urgently needed.