What are Patients at High Risk of Developing Diabetic Foot Lesions Aware of When Selecting Footwear?

Abstract

 The purpose of this study was to research how patients at high risk of developing diabetic foot ulcers select footwear to prevent foot lesions. This qualitative descriptive study collected data using semi-structured interviews. A total of 10 patients（8 males and 2 females; mean age, 63.8±9.2 years; mean duration of diabetes, 19.9±8.9 years）were enrolled in this study. They were outpatients at the University Hospital Foot Care Outpatient Clinic. Six categories were identified based on the collected data: “wearing well-fitting footwear”, “wearing footwear that serves the required use”, “harmful effects of wearing ill-fitting footwear”, “changes based on past negative experiences”, “medical foot care support at the outpatient clinic,” and “difficulty in selecting ready-to-wear footwear”. High-risk patients wanted footwear that fitted well to prevent foot lesions but faced difficulties in selecting from commercially available footwear. These results suggest that diabetic patients at high risk of podiatric issues should be provided with accurate information on footwear and its selection in foot-care clinics or during podiatric examinations.