Background: Pilgrims with diabetes are at high risk for foot problems due to decreased immunity, neuropathies, and peripheral vascular disease. This study was done to assess the prevalence of foot problems and protective measures adopted by diabetic pilgrims to prevent foot problems during AL-Arba'een of Imam Al-Hussain.

Methods: A descriptive study was conduct at a mobile clinic in Holy Kerbala during AL-Arba'een of Imam Al-Hussian from the period of 5th October 2019 to 10th July, 2024 in order to accomplish the early listed objectives. A purposive sampling consists of 186 pilgrims who were diagnosed previously as diabetic patients. The data were collected used a constructed questionnaire and therefore analyze used the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 24 through the application of descriptive statistical analysis (frequencies, percentage, and mean of score).

Results: the most prevalent foot problems are foot blisters 52.6%, foot redness 55.9%, 73.1% and 89.7% have foot/legs pain and numb respectively. Most diabetes pilgrims complain from foot, toes, or leg swelling; 86.5%, and 91.9% of them their foot is sensitive to touch, and complains from feet hurt when walking; also 69.8% of pilgrims have muscle cramps in legs or foot. Most of diabetic pilgrims were washed their feet frequently, 44% of them are examined the water temperature before putting their feet in it, 39.7% of diabetic pilgrims are inspected the soles of their feet while walking, 38.1% of them are changed their socks at least one time a day, and 52.1% of diabetic pilgrims are inspected their shoes for a foreign body or torn linings before wearing.

Conclusions: Foot blisters, redness, foot/legs pain or numb; foot, toes, or legs swelling; foot sensitive to touch; foot hurt when walking; also, muscle cramps in legs or foot are the most common foot problems among diabetic pilgrims. The most important preventive measures that were done by diabetic pilgrims to prevent foot problems are washed their feet every day, examined water temperature before putting their foot in it, inspect the soles of their foot while walking, and inspect their shoes for foreign objects or torn linings before wearing.

Foot Problem, Protective Measures, AL-Arba'een of Imam Al-Hussain

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