Risk Factors for Diabetic Foot Ulceration Among Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kirkuk City, Iraq.

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects all body parts and is the 2nd foremost reason for blindness and foot ulcers globally. It can cause severe short/long-term complications extending from brain impairment to amputations and heart ailments. Objectives: To assess risk factors of Diabetic Foot Ulceration (DFU) among patients. Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was done at two Kirkuk Hospitals in Kirkuk City, Iraq, on 100 patients diagnosed with DFU from 1st November 2021 to 5th June 2022. A developed questionnaire comprised patients' sociodemographic data, medical data and assessment of risk factors causing DFU. Results: Most patients were males (54%), aged 60-69 years (40%), lived in an urban area (74%), married (78%), had a disease complaint of >9 years (66%), had hypertension (24%) and had a family history of DM (78%). Diseases in the peripheral nerves, smoking, foot injury, carelessness of the foot and not taking medications regularly were significantly associated with the chances of DFU. A significant difference between the risk factors of diabetic foot and each patient's age and education status (p≤0.05) was observed. Conclusions: The most profound risk factors were having diseases in the peripheral nerves, smoking, having injury in the foot, neglecting the foot and not taking medications regularly. Age, gender and education level directly correlated with the risk factors.