Experiences of lower limb prosthetic users in a rural setting in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
Activities of Daily Living
Adult
Amputation, Surgical
/ methods
Amputees
/ rehabilitation
Artificial Limbs
/ economics
Developing Countries
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Lower Extremity
/ surgery
Male
Middle Aged
Needs Assessment
Poverty
Prosthesis Fitting
/ methods
Rural Population
Sampling Studies
South Africa
Walking
/ physiology
Prosthetics and orthotics services in low-income countries
developing countries
prosthetic user experiences
rehabilitation
rehabilitation of prostheses users
rural
Journal
Prosthetics and orthotics international
ISSN: 1746-1553
Titre abrégé: Prosthet Orthot Int
Pays: France
ID NLM: 7707720
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Apr 2019
Apr 2019
Historique:
pubmed:
17
8
2018
medline:
10
8
2019
entrez:
17
8
2018
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Ambulation with a prosthesis is the ultimate goal of rehabilitation for a person with a major lower limb amputation. Due to challenges with prosthetic service delivery in rural settings, many patients with amputations are not benefitting from prosthetic interventions. Inaccessibility to prosthetic services results in worse functional outcomes and quality of life. Learning from the experiences of current prosthetic users in this setting can assist to improve prosthetic service delivery. To explore the experiences of lower limb prosthetic users and to understand the importance of a lower limb prosthesis to a prosthetic user in a rural area of South Africa. A generic qualitative approach and an explorative design were utilised in this study. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from nine prosthetic users in a rural area in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Demographic details and information related to acute in-patient rehabilitation were analysed descriptively. All participants were independent in activities of daily living with their prosthesis and participated actively in their community. Participants reported that their prosthesis was essential to their functioning. High travel cost was highlighted as a barrier to the maintenance of their prosthesis. Patients were dissatisfied with being unemployed. Prosthetic intervention positively influences function, independence and community participation. Challenges relating to the accessibility, cost and maintenance of prosthetics should be a priority to ensure continued functional independence for prosthetic users. Understanding the importance of a prosthesis to a prosthetic user validates prosthetic intervention for persons living with an amputation in a rural setting and is vital in establishing and remodelling effective systems for prosthetic service delivery.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND:
UNASSIGNED
Ambulation with a prosthesis is the ultimate goal of rehabilitation for a person with a major lower limb amputation. Due to challenges with prosthetic service delivery in rural settings, many patients with amputations are not benefitting from prosthetic interventions. Inaccessibility to prosthetic services results in worse functional outcomes and quality of life. Learning from the experiences of current prosthetic users in this setting can assist to improve prosthetic service delivery.
OBJECTIVES:
UNASSIGNED
To explore the experiences of lower limb prosthetic users and to understand the importance of a lower limb prosthesis to a prosthetic user in a rural area of South Africa.
STUDY DESIGN:
UNASSIGNED
A generic qualitative approach and an explorative design were utilised in this study.
METHODS:
UNASSIGNED
A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from nine prosthetic users in a rural area in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Demographic details and information related to acute in-patient rehabilitation were analysed descriptively.
RESULTS:
UNASSIGNED
All participants were independent in activities of daily living with their prosthesis and participated actively in their community. Participants reported that their prosthesis was essential to their functioning. High travel cost was highlighted as a barrier to the maintenance of their prosthesis. Patients were dissatisfied with being unemployed.
CONCLUSION:
UNASSIGNED
Prosthetic intervention positively influences function, independence and community participation. Challenges relating to the accessibility, cost and maintenance of prosthetics should be a priority to ensure continued functional independence for prosthetic users.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the importance of a prosthesis to a prosthetic user validates prosthetic intervention for persons living with an amputation in a rural setting and is vital in establishing and remodelling effective systems for prosthetic service delivery.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30112980
doi: 10.1177/0309364618792730
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng