Foot health of nurses-A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: To analyze the level of nurses' foot health and its associations with work well-being.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was applied to a random sample of Finnish nurses (n = 411). The data were collected between May 18 and June 21, 2015 using a self-administered Foot Health Assessment Instrument and analyzed using descriptive statistics and parametric tests.

Results: Nurses had a variety of foot problems. Dry skin, foot pain, and corns or calluses were the most prevalent foot problems. Long-term diseases, the need for a physician's appointment due to foot problems, and decreased working ability were all associated with foot health. This finding was also supported by multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: Foot problems are common among nurses and are associated with individual and work-related factors. Prevention of foot problems in nurses should be prioritized to promote their working ability and predisposing factors identified as potential intervention targets.

Keywords: foot health; nurse; questionnaire; self-evaluation.