%0 Journal Article
%T Quality of Life among Egyptian Patients with Upper and Lower Limb Amputation: Sex Differences
%A Salwa A. Mohammed
%A Amany M. Shebl
%J Advances in Medicine
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/674323
%X Background. Limb amputation is a life-changing event that can cause significant disruptions in many important areas of existence. Aim of this study. To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients with limb amputation and identify the factors affecting the quality of life of patients with limb amputation among Egyptian patients. Research Design. It was a descriptive exploratory design. Setting. The study was conducted in Orthopedics and Surgical Department in Emergency Hospital at Mansoura University Hospitals. Sample. A sample of convenience of 100 adult male and female patients who met the inclusion criteria was included. Tools. (a) Structured interview questionnaire (SIQ) was used to collect personal data, (b) short form (36) health status questionnaires: this part was utilized to assess the quality of life among Egyptian patients with amputation. Results. The result of this study indicates that most participants experienced a change in the quality of life. There is a statistically significant difference between total QOL aspects and each of the following: age, gender, educational level, and type of work. Conclusion. Limb amputation tends to cause increased disability for those amputated patients. The age, gender, place of amputation, and marital status are found as statistically significant factors with physical component and psychological component. 1. Introduction Amputation could be described as the removal of a body extremity by surgery or trauma. If amputation is taken as a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or disease process in the affected limb [1]. Amputation is one of the most common acquired disabilities [2]. Amputation can involve either the upper or lower limb and occurs at a variety of levels. Lower limb amputation may be unilateral, involving a single limb, or bilateral, involving both of the lower limbs, and can be performed at a minor or major level. £¿stlie et al. [3] noted that upper limb amputations often come as a result of a specific ¡°traumatic injury.¡± Many researchers stress the importance of the arms and hands. Rybarczyk and Behel [4] write that ¡°arm and hand amputations appear to entail qualitatively different experiences than lower limb amputations for several reasons.¡± These researchers highlight the vast importance of the arm and the hand for activities such as cooking and holding and for nonverbal communication such as ¡°gesturing and physical contact.¡± There are many potential causes of amputation; the four primary etiological factors necessitating this procedure are vascular disease and infection, trauma,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/amed/2014/674323/