title: Foot examinations of diabetes patients by primary health care nurses in Auckland, New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify factors associated with patients receiving foot examinations by primary health care nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of 287 randomly sampled primary health care nurses, from a total of 1091 in Auckland, completed a postal self-administered questionnaire and telephone interview. Biographical and diabetes management details were collected for 265 diabetes patients consulted by the nurses on a randomly selected day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A response rate of 86% was achieved. Nurses examined patient's feet in 46% of consultations. Controlling for demographic variables, foot examinations were associated with age, odds ratio (1.25, 95% CI 0.57-2.74) for patients aged 51-65 years and >66 years (2.50, 1.08-5.75) compared with those ≤50 years, consultations by district compared with practice nurses (14.23, 95% CI 3.82-53.05), special programme consultations compared with usual follow-up consults (8.81, 95% CI 2.99-25.93) and length of consultation (1.89, 0.72-4.97) for 15-30 min and (4.45, 95% CI 1.48-13.41) >30 min compared with consultations ≤15 min, or for wound care (2.58, 1.01-6.61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diabetes foot examinations by primary health care nurses varies greatly, and are associated with characteristics of the patient (age, need for wound care) and the consultation (district nurses, diabetes programme and duration).
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Electronic address: b.daly@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice & Primary Health Care, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arroll
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Nicolette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice & Primary Health Care, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kenealy
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scragg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000451:nursing*; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Diabetes specialist nurses; Foot examinations; Foot protection advice; Primary health care nurses