A contribuição do “Ensino do cuidado com os pés” na redução do risco de integridade da pele prejudicada dos pés e na qualidade de vida de pessoas com diabetes mellitus tipo 2

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the contribution of "Feet Care Teaching Education" in reducing skin integrity risks and quality of life of people with diabetes mellitus type 2. This is a clinical trial, randomized, controlled, single-blind fashion, conducted with 82 volunteers diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2,from those, 10 participated in the pre-test and the others, after stratification, were randomized into two groups, called Treated Group (TG = 36 people ) and Control Group (CG = 36 people). TG received the educational intervention "Feet Care Teaching Education" while the CG received only unsystematic home visits. There was a loss of five volunteers during the study. Before performing the intervention of "Feet Care Teaching Education", the initial evaluation was carried out and after the intervention, the final evaluation. Assessments occurred through questionnaires and scales, about the knowledge of the diabetic foot prevention practices, intentions to perform self-care activities with their feet, the quality of life as well as the measurement of changes in the skin and hair, the bloodstream, the sensitivity, tissue temperature and feet plant pressure, through the "Tissue Integrity Assessment Scale: skin and mucous membranes of patients with Diabetes mellitus Feet Type II". Interventions were carried out for a period of four months, through biweekly home visits. "Feet Care Teaching Education" intervention, directed to the TG, was developed based on the activities proposed by the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), "Education: Feet care (5603)", which were subjected to a contentre view process, through an integrative literature review and subsequently evaluated by an expert committee. "Feet Care Teaching Education" intervention was developed from the following strategies: written guidance, home visits, verbal guidance and feedback, and activities observation. CG volunteers also received home visits where they had their feet examined, yet not received the systematic educational intervention as implemented in the Treated Group. The allowed to observe that after the educational intervention, the TG presented better valued levels when compared to CG. In addition, TG showed statistically significant improvement compared to CG in the global variables "Knowledge about the self-care activities with their feet", "Intention in self-foot care" and "skin integrity risk". Only capillary glycemia variables and tissue temperature showed no improvement in average after the "Feet Care Teaching Education". In this sense, "Feet Care Teaching Education" intervention contributed to the improvement of health conditions of people with Diabetes Type 2, since it has decreased the risk of plantar complications and favored the quality of life. In addition, this study contributes to the improvement of nursing care by awaking clinical look of nurses during the nursing consultation and demonstrates the importance of health education.