BACKGROUND

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a long-term metabolic disease distinguished by persistently elevated levels of glucose in the bloodstream. It affects 7.5% of adults in the Philippines, translating to 4,303,899 adults with diabetes in 2021. Type 2 DM (T2DM), which results from a combination of genetic predispositions and lifestyle choices, is the most prevalent form of diabetes in the Philippines. Foot ulcers are a common and highly comorbid complication of diabetes. By improving the knowledge and behavior regarding foot care using health education strategies, preventing diabetic foot ulcers is achievable.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of health education strategies in improving the knowledge and behavior of participants diagnosed with T2DM regarding foot ulcer prevention in Binangonan, Rizal.

METHODS

This study uses a quantitative quasi-experimental design. A 2-day workshop will be held by the researchers, including a screening, pretest, orientation on the health education material (HEM), and demonstration of the HEM content, followed by 2-weeks of self-intervention and posttest. The study will include males and females from Binangonan, Rizal, aged 20-79, who are medically diagnosed with T2DM by a physician. The effectiveness of the strategies will be evaluated using paired t-tests based on the mean of the pre-test and post-test scores obtained from the Diabetic Foot Knowledge Subscale (DFKS) and Foot Self-Care Behavior Scale (FSCBS) questionnaire.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The researchers expect an increase in the post-test scores of the participants in the DFKS and FSCBS questionnaires. This would mean increased behavior and knowledge of foot care practices to prevent diabetic foot ulcers after 2 weeks of self-intervention guided by the HEM and strategies.

Human ; Diabetes Mellitus