School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Fall 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States and is 6th in the state of Texas. Counties from South Texas are primarily affected with higher rates of diabetes than both the state and national average. Diabetes mellitus is a complex and progressive disease which can affect multiple systems of the body, leading to serious complications if untreated, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas is a region predominantly populated by Hispanic Americans who are disproportionally affected by these factors. This demographic encounters more clinical barriers due to a lack of cultural understanding. Thus, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive health care workers such as promotoras. The aim of this study was to investigate a correlation between the relationship of socioeconomic factors of Hispanic American males and the rates of DFUs, infections, and LEAs caused by diabetes mellitus.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review using two different databases: Google Scholar and PubMed from the past two decades (2005-2025). 43 articles were found from the search. Articles were included if written in English or Spanish, included the terms “diabetic foot ulcers” AND “South Texas” AND “amputation”. We excluded review papers, and papers that were not available full text. Six articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review.

Results: After reviewing the literature, insured Mexican American males in their mid 60s were at a higher risk of infection compared to other subjects in the studies and had various types of LEAs without any reported deaths. However, mean income and level of education were only reported in one of the six studies. Four of the articles reported on the same population, who belonged to an HMO disease management program. The most notable limitation of this review was lack of sufficient data which correlated to our research question.

Discussion: Other possible limitations which contributed to a higher risk of amputations compared to non-Hispanic whites are biological and behavioral factors, the physical and sociocultural environment, and the healthcare system.

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