Eureka! Institutional Repository

Introduction: Diabetes is a condition which affects a large number of the population. Regardless of the type of diabetes (type 1,type 2, gestational) ,when it is not under sufficient control, the patient may exhibit short-term and long-term complications. Especially in the long term complications, there are damages in the entirety of the vascular system and as a result, these can lead to cardiovascular diseases, diabetic nephropathies and diabetic neuropathies. A severe complications caused by diabetes is the diabetic foot as a result of a range of causes and pathologies (peripheral neuropathy ,peripheral vascular disease, infection) and it can lead to mutilation. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), among others, can be applied as complementary therapy in the fight against diabetic ulcers. This therapy is defined by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, UHMS, as the inhaling of 100% oxygen in an environment with an atmospheric pressure more than 1 atm. The complete knowledge of the health professionals as regards the course of action and application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy could have positive effects on the health of diabetic patients who battle ulcers and, as a result, the economy. The purpose of this research is to assess the level of knowledge and attitude of the health professionals towards hyperbaric oxygen as complementary means of treatment of diabetic ulcers. Methodology: Questionnaires were handed out to the nursing and medical staff in hospitals of the Central Macedonia answered anonymously. A total of 100 people participated in the survey, all of them health professionals, and they were asked to respond to 43 questions. The survey featured a scale of assessment from 1 which corresponds to “nothing at all” to 5 which corresponds to “very much”. Results: The objects of the study include 57 men and 158 women,the majority of whom are 43 years old. The vast majority belongs to the nursing domain followed by doctors who account for a quarter of the objects. The 80% of the subjects deals with 1-10 diabetic patients a month. 65% deals with diabetic ulcers by attending to the wounds and using antibiotics while the complementary treatment with hyperbaric oxygen was chosen only by the 22%. Finally, a mere 16% reported to have had a case who asked for hyperbaric oxygen treatment on their own. Conclusions: The research revealed the poor information of the health professionals regarding hyperbaric oxygen and as a result, the low level of knowledge as to the benefits it can offer to the healing of diabetic ulcers. The use of the research results could assist the design of a targeted campaign for health professionals and thus,the diabetic patients and their families concerning hyperbaric oxygen for the healing of diabetic ulcers and the avoidance of amputation.