Awareness and Practices Regarding Diabetic Foot Care Among Diabetic Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Cross‑Sectional Study

Background: Diabetic foot clinical complex is a common concern for diabetic patients. Typically, it affects patients with suboptimal glycemic control but it is multifactorial in origin. A diabetic foot is a condition that affects the feet of people with diabetes. It can cause skin and bone infections, abscesses, gangrene, ulcers and deformities due to nerve damage, poor blood circulation and a weak immune system. If not identified early and treated properly, it can lead to serious consequences, such as amputation. Objectives: This study assessed the knowledge and awareness levels of diabetic foot symptoms, management and complications among diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design and a pre-made questionnaire. It was carried out from August 2023 to March 2024 in all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The sample size was estimated using the Qualtrics calculator with a confidence level of 95%; the minimum sample size was 384. The data were then analyzed using version 20 of the Statistical Social Sciences (SPSS) program. Results: Of 107 respondents (mean age 40.6±13.2 y; 60.5 % women; 64.4 % type 2 diabetes), 72.9 % demonstrated high awareness while 57.9 % exhibited poor practice. Participants aged ≥51 years were more than twice as likely to report poor practice than younger patients (adjusted OR 2.4, 95 % CI 1.1–5.5; p = 0.03). It also appears that frequency showed that 15% are categorised as good practice, 27.1% as fair practice and 57.9% as poor practice. Age was the only parameter with a significant association with practice (p-value = 0.028). Conclusion: In conclusion the awareness and practice of diabetic foot care among diabetic patients receiving care in Saudi Arabia is an important issue that requires attention and action. Although awareness regarding diabetic foot and its complications in our study was sufficient, participants exhibited poor practice scores. Knowledge about DF does not automatically translate into healthy behaviour; more than half of Saudi adults with diabetes neglect basic foot-care measures. Clinical relevance: Targeted, age-tailored education and structured follow‑up could avert preventable amputations and lower diabetes‑related healthcare costs in Saudi Arabia.