Predictive Factors of Foot and Nail Care Behaviors Among the Elderly In Ahvaz City: Pattern of the Health Belief Model

Background:The problem of foot issues in individuals increases with age, and these problems often remain unknown and untreated, leading to significant issues in the elderly.Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the predictive factors for performing foot and nail care behaviors among the elderly in Ahvaz city using the health belief model. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 elderly individuals over 60 years old in the city of Ahvaz. The sampling method was convenience sampling, and the data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and the constructs of the health belief model. The data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Independent t-test, and linear regression in SPSS version16 software. Results:Behaviors such as using warm water to wash the feet and daily washing of the feet with water and soap had the highest frequencies at 68.5% and 57% respectively, while the behavior of daily foot massage had the lowest frequency at 30.5%. Overall, the performance of foot and nail care behaviors among the elderly was estimated to be undesirable. Self-efficacy, perceived benefits, perceived severity, and perceived sensitivity were found to be the strongest predictors of foot and nail care behaviors among the elderly(p<0.05). Additionally, the performance of foot and nail care behaviors was significantly associated with age, education level,marital status,history of foot and nail diseases,history of falls, and daily walking(p<0.05). Conclusion:Given the effectiveness of the Health Belief Model in predicting the performance of foot care behaviors, the use of these findings is recommended in planning educational interventions among the elderly.