'I cut toenails with scissors and trim it with sand paper'. Patients’ perspectives on diabetic foot complications

Introduction: This study aimed to explore type 2 diabetes mellitus patients’ perspectives on diabetic foot complications and challenges of footcare management in Sigatoka, Fiji.
Methods: This study applied a qualitative approach among persons with diabetes who attended diabetic foot clinics from August to September 2021. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and included any self-identified Fijian aged 18 years and over who had type 2 diabetes with a minimum diagnosis duration of 6 months and no experience of an amputation. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews, and the content of interviews was transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis to generate themes and subthemes outlined in the study.
Results: The study included 30 participants. Three major themes were identified. The first was patient perceptions of diabetic foot complications, which showed that there was very limited patient knowledge of how diabetes caused foot complications. The second was practising foot care, which reflected that commonly practised recommendations were associated with daily activities like washing the feet. Third was patient perceptions of footcare services, whereby the majority were generally happy with the footcare services available to them.
Conclusion: The study results indicated that patients lacked sufficient knowledge about the symptoms and prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and healthy practices related to food complications. More effort needs to be invested into diabetes and footcare knowledge and practices for patients at the Sigatoka Hospital. This will help guide patients to make life-altering decisions that can help reduce the rate of diabetes related lower limb amputations, which are easily preventable.