Interactive Media for Promoting Diabetic Foot Care

There are more than 8,000,000 diabetics in the United States and 500,000 new cases are diagnosed eaDiabetics are at high risk for serious foot problems due to vascular and neurological deficiencies.injuries occur frequently, and lower extremity amputations occur in 1% of diabetics each year, witholder, male, and African American subgroups. The systemwide cost for amputations in diabetic patientmillion each year, and foot problems overall account for some 20% of diabetic hospital admissions. Mcould be prevented by regular examination and routine self care procedures, but both patients and hefrequently neglect foot care issues. A multidisciplinary team will develop an interactive multimediainstruct diabetic patients regarding the prevention, early detection, and early treatment of foot prbe designed for both Caucasian and African American target audiences. Patients will be given an onlithen channeled to personalized instructional sequences. Principles of social cognitive theory and seincorporated into the program. Diabetic patients, family members, and health care providers will evaprogram.