title: Foot care strategy for the newly diagnosed DM Type 2 patients with low educational and socio-economic background: a step towards future.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetic foot ulcer is one of the major health problems that accounts for increased morbidity among the diabetic patients. Having good knowledge, good attitude and practice of managing the foot prevents the impending chronic co-morbidities of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was performed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on foot care among the newly diagnosed diabetic type 2 patients with low education and socio economic background. This study was conducted in one of the out patient clinics in a tertiary hospital. A set of questionnaire adopted from The Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center (MDRTC), was used to assess 109 respondents based on their knowledge of diabetes mellitus, practice and attitude towards the condition and care of the feet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall finding on knowledge, practice and attitude had shown unsatisfactory result. There was no relationship between the knowledge, practice and attitude with care of the feet. Only 20 (18.3%) respondents had a high score on knowledge, 31 (28.4%) had practiced good habits and 5 (4.6%) showed positive attitude towards care of the feet. However, there was significant finding on the level of education and the knowledge of foot care (p=0.01);
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies should be developed to overcome the longterm complications. As for the Muslim patients, ablution, the ritual practice of washing and cleaning both feet prior to the prayers may be a possible means of checking the feet for any diabetic foot complication.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Nursing and Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. hamidahhassan9@gmail.com
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamidah
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Santhna
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Ruth Packiavathy
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Suraya
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samsiah
authors.forename: Srijit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires