Improving foot self-care behaviors with Pies Sanos

Patient education for preventing diabetic foot ulceration

BACKGROUND

Ulceration of the feet, which can result in loss of limbs and even death, is one of the major health problems for people with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of patient education on the prevention of foot ulcers in patients with diabetes mellitus.

SEARCH METHODS

Eligible studies were identified by searching The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 1 August 2012); The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 7); Ovid MEDLINE (2009 to July Week 3 2012); Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, July 31, 2012); Ovid EMBASE (2009 to 2012 Week 30); and EBSCO CINAHL (2009 to 26 July 2012).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated educational programmes for preventing foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently undertook data extraction and assessment of risk of bias. Primary end points were foot ulceration or ulcer recurrence and amputation.

MAIN RESULTS

Of the 12 RCTs included, the effect of patient education on primary end points was reported in only five. Pooling of outcome data was precluded by marked, mainly clinical, heterogeneity. One of the RCTs showed reduced incidence of foot ulceration (risk ratio (RR) 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14 to 0.66) and amputation (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.76) during one-year follow-up of diabetes patients at high risk of foot ulceration after a one-hour group education session. However, one similar study, with lower risk of bias, did not confirm this finding (RR amputation 0.98, 95% CI 0.41 to 2.34; RR ulceration 1.00, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.44). Three other studies, also did not demonstrate any effect of education on the primary end points, but were most likely underpowered. Patients' foot care knowledge was improved in the short term in five of eight RCTs in which this outcome was assessed, as was patients' self-reported self-care behaviour in the short term in seven of nine RCTs. Callus, nail problems and fungal infections improved in only one of five RCTs. Only one of the included RCTs was at low risk of bias.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

In some trials, foot care knowledge and self reported patient behaviour seem to be positively influenced by education in the short term. Yet, based on the only two sufficiently powered studies reporting the effect of patient education on primary end points, we conclude that there is insufficient robust evidence that limited patient education alone is effective in achieving clinically relevant reductions in ulcer and amputation incidence.

Patient education for preventing diabetic foot ulceration

Treatment of diabetic foot ulceration is very challenging, costly and often needs to be of long duration. This leads to substantial economic burden. Population-based research suggests that a meaningful reduction of the incidence of amputations caused by diabetes mellitus has already been achieved since the St. Vincent resolution in 1989. Still, it cannot be inferred from these studies that the current preventive efforts are (cost-)effective because reduction of amputation incidence can also be the result of improvements in ulcer treatment. Nevertheless, education of people with diabetes is widely advocated and implemented in standard practice. Despite the fact that preventive interventions are often combined in daily practice, there is little scientific evidence demonstrating the effect of those efforts. In systematically reviewing the evidence, there is insufficient evidence that limited patient education alone is effective in achieving clinically relevant reductions in ulcer and amputation incidence. To date, high quality evidence that more complex interventions including patient education can prevent diabetic foot ulceration is not available either. This, however, should be interpreted as lack of evidence rather than evidence of no effect. Future directions for research and practice may be to concentrate preventive effort on those patients who appear to be at highest risk of foot ulceration after careful screening and selection.

Glycemic control among Latinos with type 2 diabetes: the role of social-environmental support resources

OBJECTIVE

Although active diabetes self-management is required to achieve glycemic control, adherence is poor among ethnic minorities, especially Latinos. Research shows that individuals who report greater social-environmental support resources for disease management manage their diabetes more effectively than those with fewer support resources.

METHODS

Path analysis was conducted to investigate the value of a multiple-mediator model in explaining how support resources for disease management influence hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in a sample of 208 Latinos with Type 2 diabetes recruited from low-income serving community clinics in San Diego County. We hypothesized that the relationship between support resources for disease-management and HbA1c would be mediated by diabetes self-management and/or depression.

RESULTS

Participants who perceived greater support resources for disease-management reported better diabetes self-management (β = .40, p < .001) and less depression (β = -.19, p < .01). In turn, better diabetes self-management and less depression were associated with tighter glycemic control (HbA1c; β = -.17, p < .05 and β = .15, p < .05, respectively). Once the indirect effects via diabetes self-management (95% CI [-.25; -.03]) and depression (95% CI [-.14; -.01]) were statistically controlled, the direct pathway from support resources to HbA1c was markedly reduced (p = .57).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate the important connection that support resources for disease management can have with diabetes self-management, emotional well-being, and glycemic control among Latinos. Thus, programs targeting diabetes self-management and glycemic control in this population should consider culturally relevant, multilevel influences on health outcomes.

Mexican Americans With Type 2 Diabetes in an Emerging Latino Community: Evaluation of Health Disparity Factors and Interventions

Mexican Americans suffer from disproportionately higher rates of type 2 diabetes and its associated complications than the general population. They also confront significant obstacles to health care access and may not receive the same quality of health care as non-Hispanic Whites. Understanding the factors contributing to their health disparities is critical for nurses and other health care providers working with Latino immigrants, especially those in emerging Latino communities such as North Carolina who may lack the established infrastructure of more traditional Latino communities. The purpose of this article is to explicate these factors and examine culturally competent diabetes interventions being used to assist Mexican Americans increase their knowledge of diabetes and health promoting behaviors in order to achieve better glycemic control and prevent complications.

Patient education for preventing diabetic foot ulceration

BACKGROUND

Ulceration of the feet, which can result in loss of limbs and even death, is one of the major health problems for people with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of patient education on the prevention of foot ulcers in patients with diabetes mellitus.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Eligible studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (22 December 2009), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library 2009 Issue 4 ), Ovid MEDLINE (1950 to November Week 3 2009), Ovid MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations (Searched 22/12/09), Ovid EMBASE (1980 to 2009 Week 51) and EBSCO CINAHL (1982 to December 22 2009).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which evaluated educational programmes for preventing foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus. There was no restriction on language of the publications.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently undertook data extraction and assessment of risk of bias. Primary end-points were foot ulceration or ulcer recurrence and amputation.

MAIN RESULTS

Eleven RCTs were included. Three studies described the effect of foot care education as part of general diabetes education compared with usual care. Two studies examined the effect of foot care education tailored to educational needs compared with no intervention. Finally, six studies described the effect of intensive compared with brief educational interventions. Pooling of outcome data was precluded by marked, mainly clinical, heterogeneity. Four RCTs assessed the effect of patient education on primary end-points: foot ulceration and amputations. One of these studies reported a statistically significant benefit of one hour group education after one year of follow-up in people with diabetes who were at high risk for foot ulceration; RR amputation 0.33 (95% CI 0.15 to 0.76); RR ulceration 0.31 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.66), however this study was at high risk of bias and may have overestimated the effect due to a unit of analysis error. One similar, but methodologically superior study did not confirm this finding; RR amputation 0.98 (95% CI 0.41 to 2.34); RR ulceration 1.00 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.44). The other two studies did not detect any effect of education on ulcer incidence or amputation but were underpowered. Patients' foot care knowledge was improved in the short term in five of eight RCTs in which this outcome was assessed, as was patients' self reported self care behaviour in the short term in seven of nine RCTs. The effects on callus, nail problems and fungal infections were described in five of the included studies, of which only two reported temporary improvements after an educational intervention.Only one of the included RCTs was considered to be at low risk of bias.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Most of the RCTs included in this review are at high or unclear risk of bias. In some trials, foot care knowledge and self reported patient behaviour seem to be positively influenced by education in the short term. This, however, must be viewed with caution. The ultimate goal of educational interventions is preventing foot ulceration and amputation but only four RCTs reported these outcomes and only two reported sufficient data to examine this. Based on these two studies, we conclude that there is insufficient robust evidence that limited patient education alone is effective in achieving clinically relevant reductions in ulcer and amputation incidence.Future research should focus on evaluating the effect of more comprehensive and/or intensive prevention strategies which may also include patient education (complex interventions).

Complex interventions for preventing diabetic foot ulceration

BACKGROUND

Ulceration of the feet, which can lead to the amputation of feet and legs, is a major problem for people with diabetes mellitus, and can cause substantial economic burden. Single preventive strategies have not been shown to reduce the incidence of foot ulceration to a significant extent. Therefore, in clinical practice, preventive interventions directed at patients, health care providers and/or the structure of health care are often combined (complex interventions).

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness of complex interventions on the prevention of foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus compared with single interventions, usual care or alternative complex interventions. A complex intervention is defined as an integrated care approach, combining two or more prevention strategies on at least two different levels of care: the patient, the healthcare provider and/or the structure of healthcare.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Eligible studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (28/05/09), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, 28 May 2009), Ovid MEDLINE (1950 to May Week 3 2009), Ovid EMBASE (1980 to 2009 Week 21) and EBSCO CINAHL (1982 to May Week 4 2009).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compared the effectiveness of combinations of preventive strategies, not solely patient education, for the prevention of foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus, with single interventions, usual care or alternative complex interventions.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors were assigned to independently select studies, to extract study data and to assess risk of bias of included studies, using predefined criteria.

MAIN RESULTS

Only five RCTs met the criteria for inclusion. The study characteristics differed substantially in terms of health care settings, the nature of the interventions studied and outcome measures reported. In three studies that compared the effect of an education centred complex intervention with usual care or written instructions only, little evidence of benefit was found. Two studies compared the effect of more intensive and comprehensive complex interventions with usual care. One of these reported improvement of patients' self care behaviour. In the other study a significant and cost-effective reduction of lower extremity amputations (RR 0.30 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.71)) was achieved. All five included RCTs were at high risk of bias; with hardly any of the predefined quality assessment criteria met.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is no high quality research evidence evaluating complex interventions for preventing diabetic foot ulceration and insufficient evidence of benefit.