Figure 1. Final Expert and Lay Model.

The expert model includes an eight-point star with summative nodes. Each of these nodes has a moderating influence on soil exposure and interact with each other. The largest box depicts the population of highland Ethiopia and the smaller transparent box depicts genetic susceptibility, which is a smaller subset of the population. A subset of those who are genetically susceptible get podoconiosis, as depicted by the final box. The lay model describes exposures to include poverty as it relates to malnutrition and inability to buy shoes. Lay individual viewed exposures through weakened immunity because of poverty or malnutrition, walking barefoot, contagion, and heredity. In turn, they suggested preventive behaviors.