Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.

Hi all, I am looking for some guidance/hints/tips etc. I'm currently studying for my MSc Podiatry and preparing my research proposal. My area of interest is the neuropathic diabetic foot, and whether there is a difference in male/female incidence/occurrence of forefoot neuropathic ulcers (MTPJ) areas. If there is a difference between male/female, what can this be atributed to? For example are men more susceptible because muscle contracture and the pes cavus presentation places the forefoot of the neuropathic foot under more pressure in flatter shoes, or women because they continue to wear heels? Do women take more care than men of their feet with regard to hygience/cleanliness? Any variable or observations you have made in your practice that you can throw into the pot would be very welcome. I know I'm not being very specific, but I before I really get going down one particular line would like to explore all the options.

 

First questions: is there an observed difference in incidence of forefoot ulceration between the two sexes? (I don't know the answer to this, I feel like I've seen more in men than women, but that is a recollection rather than a documented observation). You need to conduct a search of the literature to see what else has been in this area. If nothing/not much, you could look at collecting incidence data - but you need to consider the variables inherent in doing so.

One strategy could be to search the literature, some of which could form the basis of the lit review part of your thesis.

There's always the risk that an idea will not lead to a final research proposal, but if nothing else, you'll learn something!

Good luck.

Sarah

 

Thanks for replying. Have already started to search for relevant documents, but there's not a lot actually looking at the reported incidences. As you say it seems to be more anecdotal. With this in mind wondered whether it was worth doing more of an audit/retrospctive aproach. As you say there are variables. Is it as simple as more men suffer from neuropathic ulcers because more men have diabetes? If it was to be a quantitative approach I would have to have same numbers of men and women, and then more variables come into play in respect of foot posture, activity levels, type of work undertaken (physical or sedentary) and of course management of the diabetes. Perhaps I'll do something a bit simpler eg Why do podiatrists undertake MS'c's in the first place? :bang: Jacqui:morning:

 

Might be useful:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21186178

 

And also:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21186178

 

:good:

Ill second that Jacqui

 

Sorry, the link should be

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/100/2/65.abstract

 

I recall lots of work done on this over the years.
There was something on gender differences in the response to a vasodilator in those with diabetic foot ulcer.
There is also a huge body of literature on 'health seeking behavior' differences between males and females (with and without diabetes)

There was this thread: Gender differences in infected diabetic foot ulcers