Use of footwear and foot condition among rural Ethiopian school children

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether shoe-wearing affords foot protection among school children living in southern Ethiopia. METHODS Data collectors conducted a standardized foot assessment with children in an elementary school in southern Ethiopia (N=168). RESULTS 54% reported wearing shoes consistently in the prior three days. Children wearing closed-toed shoes showed less adherent soil and toe nail dystrophy than those wearing open-toed sandals. There were no differences by shoe type with regard to signs of foot trauma or heel fissures. CONCLUSIONS Shoe wearing provided limited foot protection. Interventions are needed to build behavioral skills, including foot washing and wearing appropriate shoes that maximize foot protection.