Assessment of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients at Tha Wung Hospital, Lopburi Province.

Abstract

This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design and was conducted using medical record reviews and patient assessments among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus at Tha Wung Hospital, Lopburi Province, between October 2023 and September 2024. The research instruments included medical records and a foot assessment tool, both of which were validated for content validity and reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.7. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics including percentage, mean, and standard deviation and multiple logistic regression.

The findings revealed that the majority of the patients (94.2%) were classified as low risk, while 5.8% were categorized as high risk. In addition, the result of logistic regression analysis revealed that statistically significant positive associations the duration of diabetes and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels were significantly associated with the risk of diabetic foot ulcer. Patients with a diabetes duration exceeding 10 years had a 2.66-fold higher risk compared to those with less than 5 years (Adjusted OR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.64–4.31, p < 0.001). Similarly, patients with FBS levels greater than 130 mg/dL had a 1.61-fold increased risk (Adjusted OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.16–2.23, p = 0.004).

The study underscores the importance of routine foot screening and individualized education, particularly for patients with long-standing diabetes and poor glycemic control.