2026-10-12T20:23:12Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33993451 2026-09-25T05:45:05Z category_427 portal_316 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Table 1_Delayed standard care in diabetic foot ulcers: the roles of initial response pathways and non-professional health information.docx Wei Shan (207474) Qian Huang (127640) Lin Qiao (1492168) Hui Chen (28597) Hao Yan (134033) Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified amputation decision-making care-seeking behavior delayed standard care diabetic foot ulcer foot ulcer health communication health literacy non-professional health information Background<p>Delayed entry into standard diabetic foot care may reflect non-standard initial actions, inaccurate risk appraisal, and exposure to unreliable health information. Practical concerns about life after amputation may further postpone treatment decisions, but these modifiable processes remain insufficiently characterized.</p>Objective<p>To examine initial response pathways, non-professional health information exposure, and post-amputation living-support concerns in relation to delayed care, disease severity, limb outcomes, and amputation decision-making.</p>Methods<p>A single-center prospective explanatory mixed-methods study included 400 adults with diabetic foot ulcers from August 2024 to February 2026. Questionnaires and records assessed response pathways, information exposure, delay >7 days, clinical outcomes, and amputation concerns. Logistic regression estimated adjusted associations. Interviews with 16 purposively selected participants explained quantitative patterns, and findings were integrated.</p>Results<p>Delayed care occurred in 215 patients (53.8%), and 206 (51.5%) reported non-professional information exposure. Relative to direct standard care, non-specialist care (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.07–3.85) and home-based or non-standard care (OR 4.61, 95% CI 2.35–9.04) were associated with delay; the information-exposure score was also associated (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.30–1.94). Delay was associated with Wagner grade 3–5 disease (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.43–3.32) and amputation (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.11–3.08). Among 102 amputated patients with complete decision data, 54 (52.9%) delayed the decision; living-support concerns were associated with delay (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.45–3.81). Interviews linked reduced urgency, competing information, self-treatment, and anticipated dependence or caregiving burden to these patterns.</p>Conclusion<p>Delayed care reflected risk under-recognition, non-standard action, and competing information rather than inaction. Warning-sign education, service guidance, critical appraisal of health information, and structured amputation decision support may improve timely care.</p> 2026-09-25T05:45:05Z Dataset Dataset 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1905489.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Table_1_Delayed_standard_care_in_diabetic_foot_ulcers_the_roles_of_initial_response_pathways_and_non-professional_health_information_docx/33993451 CC BY 4.0