OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the functional capability of patients with diabetes with foot ulceration and patients with diabetes without foot ulceration. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive comparative study was conducted in a public hospital in the district of São Paulo. The sample consisted of 20 patients with foot ulceration and 20 patients without foot ulceration. Data were collected from June 2 to July 30, 2008. The heath assessment questionnaire-20 (HAQ-20) was used to collect the data. RESULTS: There were no significant differences regarding demographic and clinical characteristics between the two groups. There were significant differences between the two groups on the total score of the HAQ-20 and items 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, an in regard to physical functioning and functional capability. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that patients with foot ulceration had worse physical functioning and functional capability than those without foot ulceration.
Task performance and analysis; Diabetes mellitus; Foot ulcer
