Clinical and Nonclinical Factors Affecting Quality of Life in Individuals with Lower-Limb Amputation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Amputations lead to great challenges for individuals with amputation that can affect their quality of life (QoL). Clinical and nonclinical factors are expected to affect QoL of individuals with amputation. Materials and Methods Seventy-nine individuals with lower-limb amputation participated in the study. The Arabic version of the PEQ and a short added questionnaire evaluating the studied factors were used to evaluate QoL of individuals with amputation. Exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate which factors may have greater effect on QoL. Results Age at amputation, etiology, and age of the person with amputation were found to be the factors explaining most of the variance. Discussion Age at amputation dictates how much time is available for the individual to adapt to using the prosthesis. Etiology controls how well the individual is. Age is a decisive factor in the general well-being of the person with amputation. Conclusions This study shows that age at amputation, etiology, and age of the individual with amputation are the most important factors affecting the QoL of individuals with amputation. Clinical Relevance As QoL determines the success of prosthetic rehabilitation, and as several factors affect QoL in individuals with amputation, determining these factors enables providing a better prosthetic experience, resulting in improved prosthetic satisfaction.