Article

Amputation is a life-changing event accompanied by challenges for the
affected person with time-dependent depression often used to quantify its level
of impact on their psychological well-being. There are varied factors that
contribute to this and its persistence. The aim of this study was to explore the
experiences over time of people with diabetes and/or peripheral vascular disease
following an amputation and the impact on their psychological well-being.
OBJECTIVES: To develop an understanding of the experience of living with an
amputation and a chronic condition in order to help clinicians identify those in
need of counselling support. STUDY DESIGN: A qualitative study utilising an
iterative approach in line with the philosophy of interpretive phenomenology.
METHODS: Six participants who had experienced a lower limb amputation associated
with peripheral vascular disease/diabetes were interviewed on two occasions
(baseline and 4 months). An interpretative phenomenological approach was utilised
for both data collection and analysis. RESULTS: For these participants,
amputation was part of the chronology of their chronic disease. It was the
individual's variable experience of health which impacted their psychological
well-being rather than the length of time since amputation. CONCLUSIONS: The
multivariable experience of amputation means that individually tailored
counselling/psychological support is recommended. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: An
understanding of how the experience of living with an amputation and a chronic
condition may change over time will help clinicians to identify the ongoing need
for counselling support.
CI - (c) The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2014.

Langue : ANGLAIS