Open AccessThe association between foot‐care self efficacy beliefs and actual foot‐care behaviour in people with peripheral neuropathy: a cross‐sectional study
Author(s) -
Perrin Byron M,
Swerissen Hal,
Payne Craig
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of foot and ankle research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.763
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 1757-1146
DOI - 10.1186/1757-1146-2-3
Subject(s) - foot (prosody) , medicine , foot care , self efficacy , health care , physical therapy , peripheral neuropathy , cross sectional study , diabetes mellitus , diabetic foot , association (psychology) , clinical psychology , psychology , pathology , social psychology , philosophy , linguistics , economic growth , economics , psychotherapist , endocrinology
Background People with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy often do not implement the foot‐care behavioural strategies that are suggested by many health professionals. The concept of self‐efficacy has been shown to be an effective predictor of behaviour in many areas of health. This study investigated the relationships between foot‐care self‐efficacy beliefs, self‐reported foot‐care behaviour and history of diabetes‐related foot pathology in people with diabetes and loss of protective sensation in their feet. Methods Ninety‐six participants were included in this cross‐sectional study undertaken in a regional city of Australia. All participants had diabetes and clinically diagnosed loss of protective sensation in their feet. The participants completed a self‐report pen‐paper questionnaire regarding foot‐care self efficacy beliefs (the “Foot Care Confidence Scale”) and two aspects of actual foot‐care behaviour‐preventative behaviour and potentially damaging behaviour. Pearson correlation coefficients were then calculated to determine the association between foot‐care self‐efficacy beliefs and actual reported foot‐care behaviour. Multiple analysis of variance was undertaken to compare mean self‐efficacy and behaviour subscale scores for those with a history of foot pathology, and those that did not. Results A small positive correlation (r = 0.2, p = 0.05) was found between self‐efficacy beliefs and preventative behaviour. There was no association between self‐efficacy beliefs and potentially damaging behaviour. There was no difference in self‐efficacy beliefs in people that had a history of foot pathology compared to those that did not. Conclusion There is little association between foot‐care self‐efficacy beliefs and actual foot‐care behaviour. The usefulness of measuring foot‐care self‐efficacy beliefs to assess actual self foot‐care behaviour using currently available instruments is limited in people with diabetes and loss of protective sensation.