Foot care education and self management behaviors in diverse veterans with diabetes.

The objective of this study was to examine differences in self-reported diabetes foot care education, self management behaviors, and barriers to good foot care among veterans with diabetes by race and ethnicity. Data was collected using the Veterans Health Administration Footcare Survey, a validated tool that assessed demographic, general health, diabetes and foot self-care information, barriers to foot self-care, receipt of professional foot care, and satisfaction with current care. We mailed surveys to a random sample of patients with diabetes from eight VA medical centers. Study participants were 81% White; 13% African American; 4% Asian, and 2% American Indian and Pacific Islanders. The majority of respondents felt that they did not know enough about foot self-care. There were large gaps between self-reported knowledge and actual foot care practices, even among those who reported "knowing enough" on a given topic. There were significant differences in self-reported foot care behaviors and education by race and ethnicity. These findings document the need for culturally-specific self-management education to address unique cultural preferences and barriers to care.

Cutaneous infections associated with HIV/AIDS.

With diminished and dysregulated cell-mediated immunity, HIV-infected individuals are susceptible to a myriad of skin infections. These infections include the conditions encountered in immunocompetent patients, as well as infections seen almost exclusively in the setting of HIV infection. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has made some previously rare infections more prominent. Although antiretroviral therapy has been helpful in relieving the burden of cutaneous infections in HIV-infected patients, it does not prevent all opportunistic infections in the skin and also has created new dilemmas.

Arch height and lower limb pain: an adult civilian study.

Flexible flatfeet in children are still treated with orthotics and operative procedures by some physicians who believe such treatment will prevent disability in adult life. Opponents of treatment cite military studies that show flexible flatfeet are not a source of disability in soldiers. Because no study of adult civilians relating arch configuration and pain have been reported, this study was undertaken. Ninety-nine adult male and female physically active grocery-store employees were studied. Half-weight-bearing footprints were made, and leg and foot pain questionnaires were scored for each subject. No relationship was found between arch configuration and pain scores. This study suggests that in the civilian population flexible flatfeet are not a source of disability. This study is consistent with previous studies and provides additional evidence against the practice of treating flexible flatfeet in children.