Foot Care Education, Health-Seeking Behaviour and Disease Outcome in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Results from the Multi-Centre Evaluation of Diabetic Foot Ulcer in Nigeria Study

Abstract

Background: Considerable advances have been made in the field of diabetic foot care over the past 25 years in developed countries. On the contrary, diabetes foot ulceration (DFU) still remains a common diabetes related complication of substantial public health importance in sub-Saharan Africa. Diabetic foot outcome in Nigeria is reportedly poor, with high amputation and mortality rates. Proper foot care education is known to impact positively on both DFU prevention and outcome in the developed societies. However, this relationship has not been well characterised in Nigeria.