Foot Care and Indications of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in T2DM Patient

Abstract

Background: Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common chronic complications in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and may lead to foot ulceration and amputation if not detected early. Various studies have reported that the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy ranges from 17% to 46% among patients with T2DM. Proper foot care practices and simple screening methods such as the Ipswich Touch Test (IpTT) play an important role in preventing neuropathy and its complications. Objective: To examine the relationship between foot care behavior and the indication of DPN in T2DM patients. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design with 100 respondents diagnosed with T2DM who were selected through purposive sampling at a Public Health Center (Puskesmas). The indication of DPN was assessed using the IpTT, while foot care behavior was measured using the Nottingham Assessment of Functional Footcare (NAFF) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test with a 95% confidence level.  Results: A total of 51% of respondents demonstrated good foot care behavior, while 18% showed an indication of peripheral neuropathy. The chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between foot care behavior and the indication of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (p = 0.015). Respondents with good foot care behavior were 4.7 times more likely to maintain normal foot sensation compared to those with poor foot care behavior (OR = 4.70; 95% CI = 1.42–15.52). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between foot care behavior and indications of DPN in T2DM patients. Proper foot care contributes to reducing the risk of neuropathy. Recommendation: Nurses are expected to integrate regular foot examinations, including IpTT screening, into daily care services, while patients should be encouraged to adopt foot care as a routine practice to prevent further complications.

Keywords : T2DM, foot care, DPN, IpTt, NAFF