Warm Footbaths for Fatigue Reduction in Type II Diabetes: Advancing SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-Being, Inclusive Health

Abstract

Abstract - Fatigue is one of the most prevalent and debilitating symptoms experienced by individuals with Type II Diabetes Mellitus, often impairing their physical functioning, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. The present study explored the effectiveness of warm footbaths as a complementary, non-pharmacological intervention to alleviate fatigue among patients diagnosed with Type II diabetes thereby contributing to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health,Well-being and inclusive health. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was employed, enrolling 60 participants (both male and female) aged between 30 and 70 years, all with a confirmed history of Type II diabetes under regular treatment. Participants reporting moderate fatigue, as determined using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)–Fatigue Scale, were included based on defined inclusion criteria. On Day 1, demographic and clinical data were collected through a structured questionnaire, and baseline fatigue and sleep quality were assessed. Beginning on Day 3, participants in the experimental group received an electric warm footbath therapy, while those in the control group continued with routine hospital care. The intervention was administered consistently for 90 days, followed by post-assessment on Day 91. Findings revealed a statistically significant reduction in fatigue levels among the experimental group, with a pretest mean of 17.50 ± 0.90 and a posttest mean of 11.33 ± 1.49, yielding a mean difference of 6.17. The paired t-value of 18.9462 (p < 0.05) indicated a marked improvement post-intervention. Furthermore, the independent t-test value of 10.5614 (p < 0.001) confirmed significant differences between the experimental and control groups in the posttest scores. The results demonstrate that warm footbath therapy effectively reduces fatigue and promotes better physiological relaxation in individuals with Type II diabetes. As a safe, cost-effective, and easily implementable complementary approach, it holds promise as an adjunctive strategy in diabetes self-care and fatigue management. By addressing a key aspect of chronic disease management through an accessible intervention, the research supports SDG 3 targets aimed at reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases and improving health and well-being for all.