Health concerns of veterans with high-level lower extremity amputations.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to identify health concerns of veterans with high-level lower extremity amputations.

METHODS: Through a cross-sectional study, general practitioners, an orthopedic specialist, psychologists, psychiatrists, physiotherapist and prosthetists examined 100 veterans using a short-form health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-36) that assessed their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and life satisfaction (SWLS) after hip disarticulation or hemi-pelvectomy amputations. The assessment tool was designed to gather statistically useful information about their health needs.

RESULTS: The means of the Physical Component Summary (PCS), Mental Component Summary (MCS), SWLS, ADL and IADL were 48.58 ± 29.6, 33.33 ± 22.0, 19.30 ± 7.7, 48.10 ± 10.5 and 5.08 ± 1.8, respectively. Somatization, depression, and anxiety were the most prevalent disorders; among the veterans who were visited by psychiatrists, 11.6% had a history of hospitalization in a psychiatry section, and 53.2% had a psychiatric visit. Regardless of their injury in battle, 34% of veterans were hospitalized. Hearing problems were common, and about four-fifths of the participants suffered from at least one orthopedic condition. Neuroma (49%) was the most common stump-related complication during orthopedic evaluations, though the prevalence of phantom pain was 81% during the pain assessment. A total of 87% of the participants had a history of wearing a prosthesis, but only 29% wore a prosthesis at the time of the present study. The Canadian-type of prosthesis was uncomfortable and not useful (27%) and excessively heavy (10%) according to the amputees.

CONCLUSIONS: Understanding veterans' characteristics and special needs are important to make sure that enough facilities and services are afforded to them. These findings emphasize the importance of paying close attention to different dimensions of health in veterans and can help health providers identify health needs and make regular assessments.