Evaluation of the Indigenous Diabetic Foot Program

This paper, "Evaluation of the NSW Indigenous Diabetic Foot Program for Health Workers whose primary role is with Aboriginal People in the lower mid north coast" by Esher Townsend, a Clinical Education and Training Institute Rural Directorate report, assesses the effectiveness of a new diabetes education program for Indigenous Health Workers. The Indigenous diabetic foot program (IDFP) provides educational programs for both Indigenous Health Workers (IHWs) and Indigenous patients who have diabetes.

This evaluation assessed the effectiveness of the education program for IHWs by measuring the knowledge gained by the IHWs and the integration of the screening tools into clinical practice. Results showed that after the workshop IHW participants had increased their knowledge levels, and that this knowledge was sustained over at least a six month time period. The study also showed that while the participants found the IDFP to be beneficial, the uptake and implementation of the screening program was low (55%).