Feasibility, acceptability and effects of a foot self-care educational intervention on minor foot problems in adult patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulceration: a pilot study

Objectives: The objectives of the pilot study were to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the foot self-care educational intervention, and to explore its preliminary effects on reducing the occurrence of minor foot problems in adult patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulceration.

Methods: A one-group-repeated-measures design was used. The intervention given over 3 weeks consisted of a 1 hour 1-on-1 provider-patient interaction to discuss foot self-care strategies, 1 hour hands-on practice of strategies and 2 10-minute telephone contact booster sessions. Of the 70 eligible consenting participants, 56 completed the study. The outcomes were assessed at pretest and at 3-month follow-up. Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used to examine changes in outcomes over time.

Results: The findings provided initial evidence suggesting the foot self-care educational intervention is feasible and acceptable to adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It was effective in reducing the occurrence of minor foot skin and toenails problems (all p<0.05) at 3-month follow up.

Conclusions: The findings support the effects of the intervention. Future research should evaluate its efficacy using a randomized clinical trial design, and a large sample of patients with diabetes at low risk for foot ulcerations.