A STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING LOWER EXTREMITY PERFUSION AMONG PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AT SELECTED HOSPITALS IN CHENNAI

DOI: https://doie.org/10.65985/JBSE.2026880593

Prof. Shalin Gnana Priya, Dr. J Jaslina Gnana Rani, Prof. Hilda Rose Mary, Dr. K Vijayalakshmi, Prof. S. T. Mohana, Prof. M. Raja

Keywords:

Lower-extremity perfusion; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Educational intervention; Knowledge; Diabetic foot prevention

Abstract:

Background: Reduced lower-extremity perfusion is a common, often silent complication of type 2 diabetes that increases risk of delayed healing, foot ulcers, infection, and amputation, and patient education may improve early recognition and self-care. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial with pre-test, immediate post-test, and one-month follow-up (Assessments I–III) was conducted at a selected hospital in Chennai, including 160 purposively selected medically stable patients with type 2 diabetes and ABI <0.9 (80 experimental, 80 control); the experimental group received a structured LIFE lifestyle education program while the control group received usual care, and knowledge on lower-extremity perfusion (maximum score 30) was measured at each assessment. Results: Baseline knowledge was comparable between groups (Assessment I mean 20.37 vs 19.27, p=0.129); the study group showed progressive improvement across assessments (19.27 ±3.24 → 20.13 ±2.42 → 22.57 ±2.14) with a significant within-subjects change (F=27.841, p<0.001) and post-intervention superiority at Assessment III (mean difference 2.17, t=4.425, p<0.001), while the control group showed minor, non-significant fluctuations; categorical analysis mirrored these findings with a significant shift in knowledge distribution favoring the intervention at Assessment III (χ2=14.700, p<0.001). Conclusion: The structured, reinforced educational intervention significantly improved and sustained patients’ knowledge about lower-extremity perfusion compared with usual care, supporting incorporation of targeted, repeated education into routine diabetes management to help prevent foot complications.

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