A scoping review is set to be the first to comprehensively map evidence on the incidence, burden, and outcomes of diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs) in South Asians in Western contexts.
In England, around 1% of the National Health Service budget is spent on DFUs and related amputations. Most of these costs are related to hospital admissions with diabetes-related foot ulcers, found to be 8.04 days longer when compared to those without ulcers.
While there are disproportionately high diabetes rates among South Asian populations living in Western countries, there is significantly lower prevalence of diabetes-related foot ulcers and lower-limb amputations among this population compared to White European populations.
The new scoping review will seek to explore this paradox, which remains under evaluated. It will map existing evidence, elucidate disparities, and identify gaps.
It will assess clinical outcomes and lived experiences during the ulcerative phase and review existing literature on recurrence and long-term post-healing complications.
The review will clarify disparities in incidence and outcomes, highlight key research gaps, and provide valuable insights to inform future research and clinical practice.
This work is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leeds Biomedical Research Centre.
