Awareness of Diabetic Foot and its Risk Factors in the General Population of Arar, Northern Saudi Arabia

Background: Foot ulcers may be complicated to toe amputation or limb amputation which can be prevented by patient education on self-management and appropriate foot care procedures.

Study Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the awareness of diabetic foot and its risk factors among the general population of Arar city, Northern Saudi Arabia.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in primary health care centers in Arar, Northern Saudi Arabia, during the period from 1st September to 10th October 2021. Data was collected by personal interview with the attendees of the primary health care center, using a predesigned questionnaire.

Results: Almost 60% of participants have knowledge about diabetic foot. The Source of information about diabetic foot was doctors and nurses in 13% and 11.9% social media in our study population. 62.7% know that diabetic foot risk may be reduced by controlling blood sugar level, 13% by checking the feet every day and several times a day, and 9.2% reported wearing shoes and socks on a daily basis. 65.6%, 66.7%, 48.4%, 82.6% and 62.1% knew that skin infections, foot abscess, bone infections, gangrene, and foot deformity are complications of diabetic foot respectively. Good knowledge of diabetic foot was significantly associated with age and educational level but not with marital status.

Conclusion: The level of knowledge of diabetic foot and its related complications is relatively average. Due to the high incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Saudi Arabia, it is vital that the population has appropriate information and awareness about this illness to enable continued promotion of public health measures to limit its prevalence. It is also crucial for DM patients to understand the medication and lifestyle modifications that may enable them to better regulate their blood glucose and prevent the complications.