Management of Diabetic Foot in an Indian Clinical Setup: An Opinion Survey

Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate foot-care practices by physicians throughout India who had participated in the Diabetic Foot Education Program (DFEP). Methods A structured questionnaire was administered to physicians throughout India, and their responses were analyzed descriptively. Results A total of 377 doctors responded to the DFEP opinion survey, including 261 doctors who belonged to independent diabetic foot clinics. Of these doctors, 44.4% reported managing fewer than five diabetic foot patients per week and 42.8% reported managing 5-10 patients per week. Most of these patients had non-ischemic foot, followed by those with ischemic and Charcot foot. About 58% of these physicians reported performing comprehensive clinical examinations and providing optimal preventive and therapeutic care in the treatment of diabetic foot, whereas only 25.7% reported performing only callus removal and changing dressings. Basic instruments to manage diabetic foot included the monofilament, tuning fork, biothesiometer, handheld Doppler, and pedometer, which were used by 76%, 75.5%, 59.5%, 27.7%, and 12.8% of doctors, respectively. The most common comorbidities were neuropathy, reported by 333 doctors, followed by peripheral vascular disease, reported by 297 doctors. Tools for diabetic foot education included posters in the clinic, used by 75% of doctors; pamphlets, used by 56.2%; videos, used by 45.2%; and diabetic foot applications, used by 36.7% of doctors. Conclusions There is a need to promote diabetic foot awareness and implement foot-care strategies to prevent diabetic foot and effectively manage this condition. Diabetic foot education programs will encourage clinicians to effectively use diagnostic tools for assessment and management of diabetic foot and to establish independent diabetic foot clinics.