The production process for continuous use therapeutic footwear for people with diabetes

Abstract

 One aspect of preventive care for diabetic foot ulcers is the production of therapeutic footwear for diabetic patients. Some patients with diabetes do not have therapeutic footwear, even though it is recommended by health providers. Effective intervention is unknown because the production process is unclear. Therefore, the production process for therapeutic footwear for diabetic patients was investigated qualitatively. Twenty-two diabetic patients who visited the university hospital from April 2008 to November 2012 and for whom therapeutic footwear was recommended were recruited. A semistructured interview concerning the process from proposal of therapeutic footwear to its production and subsequent continuous use or, in contrast, its lack of production, was conducted. The core category was“value the design of shoes, and continue to not rely on therapeutic footwear”. The subjects who did not have therapeutic footwear valued the design of shoes, interpreted diabetic foot ulcer in their own way, and continued to not rely on therapeutic footwear given that non-ulcerative lesions do not develop into ulcers. Shared knowledge between patients and health providers that functionality of shoes is important and the development of well-designed footwear are needed.