Quality of life following non-dysvascular lower limb amputation is contextualized through occupations: a qualitative study

Stephanie R Cimino; Sander L Hitzig; Vera Fung; Katie N Dainty; Crystal MacKay; Joanna E M Sale; Amanda L Mayo; Sara J T Guilcher

doi:10.1080/09638288.2023.2258340

Quality of life following non-dysvascular lower limb amputation is contextualized through occupations: a qualitative study

Disabil Rehabil. 2023 Sep 21:1-8. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2258340. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Stephanie R Cimino¹, Sander L Hitzig^{1

2

3}, Vera Fung², Katie N Dainty^{4

5}, Crystal MacKay^{6

7}, Joanna E M Sale^{5

8

9}, Amanda L Mayo^{2

10}, Sara J T Guilcher^{1

2

5

7

11}

Affiliations

¹ Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² St. John's Rehab Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁵ Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ Westpark Health Care Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁷ Department of Physical Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁸ St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁹ Department of Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹¹ Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 37731381
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2258340

Abstract

Purpose: To understand how persons with non-dysvascular lower limb amputation (LLA) use occupations to contextualize their quality of life (QoL).

Methods: A qualitative study using an interpretative description approach was conducted. Analysis of the interviews was guided by an occupational perspective, which considers the day-to-day activities that are important to an individual.

Results: Twenty adults with an adult-acquired non-dysvascular amputation (e.g., trauma, cancer or infection) were interviewed. Following thematic analysis, two main themes were developed: (1) sense of self expressed through occupations; and (2) sense of belonging with others influenced by occupations. Participants expressed the way they felt about themselves through their activities and placed high value on whether they could participate in certain occupations. Participants also described how their sense of belonging was changed through the context of their changing occupations.

Conclusion: The findings from this work can be leveraged by clinicians and researchers alike to improve care for this population. Rehabilitation programs should consider interventions and programming that help to restore occupations or develop new ones given the importance placed on occupations by persons with non-dysvascular LLA.

Keywords: Amputation; activities of daily living; occupation; qualitative research; quality of life.

Plain language summary

Quality of life is affected following non-dysvascular lower limb amputation due to physical, mental and psychosocial changes.Occupations (or day-to-day activities) are important components of quality of life for persons with lower limb amputation.Rehabilitation professionals should take into account the influence that occupations have on how persons with lower limb amputation perceive themselves when developing interventions and programming for this population.The influence occupations have on sense of belonging should also be considered by rehabilitation professionals when developing these interventions and programs for persons with non-dysvascular lower limb amputation.