Save Your Soles Uses Community Education and Big Data to Reduce Amputations
Black males suffer major lower extremity amputations almost four times as often as white males in the Delaware Valley. The mission of the Save Your Soles Campaign is to reduce lower extremity amputation by community education and screening. Lead by a group of podiatrists, the campaign aims to reduce this disparity by connecting powerful hospital in-patient databases to a public health campaign. The database identifies populations and geographic areas at high risk. The most recent data indicates that residents in the following zip codes are most at risk:
- 19139
- 19144
- 19140
- 19126
These high-risk zip codes are the focus of educational presentations and disease screening. Partnering with health care providers, community groups, and churches, the campaign targets specific neighborhoods to provide free screenings.
Regardless of your race or where you live, it is critical for all patients to be aware of the risks associated with poor circulation. All diabetics over 40 years of age should request that their primary care physician or podiatrist perform a peripheral arterial screening at least once a year.
