Views: 1,451 | Downloads:
231
| Responses: 0
| XML | Respond to this article | Alert & updates | Request permissions | Email to a friend |
Original ArticleOpen Access
Health Related Quality of Life among the Thai People with Unilateral Lower Limb Amputation
Dajpratham P 
,
Tantiniramai S ,
Lukkanapichonchut P
,
Tantiniramai S ,
Lukkanapichonchut P Objective: To study the health related quality of life (HRQOL) among Thai unilateral lower limb amputees and determine thefactors associated with a good HRQOL.
Material and Method: A postal survey with the WHOQOL-BREF-Thai questionnaire (26 items) to 1,300 people with LLAwho received a lower limb prostheses from Siriraj Hospital, Prapokklao Hospital, and Ratchaburi Hospital between2001and 2005 was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to report the level of HRQOL. Chi-Square, independentSample t-test and multivariate analysis by stepwise logistic regression were used to determine the factors associated with agood QOL.
Results: Three hundred and nine questionnaires were completed from the 321 returned questionnaires (response rate24.7%). Among these, 278 people were with unilateral LLA.They were 221males and 57 females with mean age 46.9 + 13.9years old. The number of people with LLA who had poor, fair, and good QOL were 14 (5%), 241 (86.7%), and 23 (8.3%),respectively. Demographically, the people with LLA who had long duration of amputation (p = 0.001), higher education (p =0.005), and had been employed after amputation (p < 0.001) had significantly better HRQOL. The amputees who had goodwearing comfort (p = 0.04) after wearing the prostheses, had no phantom pain (p = 0.02), used no gait aids (p = 0.01), andhad no body image anxiety (p = 0.01) had significantly better HRQOL. The factors associated with the good HRQOL werehigher education (OR 3.2), having been employed after amputation (OR 2.1), and having good prosthetic wearing comfort(OR 1.3).
Conclusion: Thai people with unilateral LLA reported primarily fair HRQOL. Having higher education, having beenemployed after amputation, and having good prosthetic wearing comfort were associated with the good HRQL.
Keywords: Amputee, Lower Limb, Quality of life, Thai, Working
Material and Method: A postal survey with the WHOQOL-BREF-Thai questionnaire (26 items) to 1,300 people with LLAwho received a lower limb prostheses from Siriraj Hospital, Prapokklao Hospital, and Ratchaburi Hospital between2001and 2005 was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to report the level of HRQOL. Chi-Square, independentSample t-test and multivariate analysis by stepwise logistic regression were used to determine the factors associated with agood QOL.
Results: Three hundred and nine questionnaires were completed from the 321 returned questionnaires (response rate24.7%). Among these, 278 people were with unilateral LLA.They were 221males and 57 females with mean age 46.9 + 13.9years old. The number of people with LLA who had poor, fair, and good QOL were 14 (5%), 241 (86.7%), and 23 (8.3%),respectively. Demographically, the people with LLA who had long duration of amputation (p = 0.001), higher education (p =0.005), and had been employed after amputation (p < 0.001) had significantly better HRQOL. The amputees who had goodwearing comfort (p = 0.04) after wearing the prostheses, had no phantom pain (p = 0.02), used no gait aids (p = 0.01), andhad no body image anxiety (p = 0.01) had significantly better HRQOL. The factors associated with the good HRQOL werehigher education (OR 3.2), having been employed after amputation (OR 2.1), and having good prosthetic wearing comfort(OR 1.3).
Conclusion: Thai people with unilateral LLA reported primarily fair HRQOL. Having higher education, having beenemployed after amputation, and having good prosthetic wearing comfort were associated with the good HRQL.
Keywords: Amputee, Lower Limb, Quality of life, Thai, Working
Download:
PDF