<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Amputation of the limb is a major psychological health issue that was not fully studied. Patients and their families struggle with symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, phantom limb phenomena, etc. There is also a tremendous impact on the person’s quality of life.Aim: This study aimed to assess the psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and the quality of life among persons suffering from amputation of the limb.Methods: 31 respondents agreed to participate in the study. They were recruited from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. The medical conditions and the socio-demographic data (i.e., gender, marital status, income, etc.) along with the assessment of the psychological conditions and quality of life were contributions to the statistical analysis of the study.Results: This study showed that levels of depression are moderate to severe for a significant percent of the population (i.e., a “moderate to severe” or “severe” level of depression was presented by 29% of the patients according to the PHQ-9 test, and 16.1% of the patients according to Beck’s Depression Inventory). Moreover, the levels of anxiety were relatively higher than those of the general population (i.e., severe anxiety was confirmed by the GAD-7 test in the case of 38.7% of the patients) and for most of them the quality of life was impaired.Discussion: Amputation occurs mainly in adults/elderly aged over 50 years, married, living in urban areas, with different levels of depression and anxiety. At least half of them had a self-perceived health condition that was deteriorated, their physical and role functioning being primarily affected.Conclusion: There is a need for psychological support of the patients suffering from limb amputation as most of the studies showed high prevalence of depression and anxiety. Socio-demographic factors also represent important elements in defining the quality of life of those patients.</abstract>

Amputation of the limb is a major psychological health issue that was not fully studied. Patients and their families struggle with symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, phantom limb phenomena, etc. There is also a tremendous impact on the person’s quality of life.Aim: This study aimed to assess the psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and the quality of life among persons suffering from amputation of the limb.Methods: 31 respondents agreed to participate in the study. They were recruited from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. The medical conditions and the socio-demographic data (i.e., gender, marital status, income, etc.) along with the assessment of the psychological conditions and quality of life were contributions to the statistical analysis of the study.Results: This study showed that levels of depression are moderate to severe for a significant percent of the population (i.e., a “moderate to severe” or “severe” level of depression was presented by 29% of the patients according to the PHQ-9 test, and 16.1% of the patients according to Beck’s Depression Inventory). Moreover, the levels of anxiety were relatively higher than those of the general population (i.e., severe anxiety was confirmed by the GAD-7 test in the case of 38.7% of the patients) and for most of them the quality of life was impaired.Discussion: Amputation occurs mainly in adults/elderly aged over 50 years, married, living in urban areas, with different levels of depression and anxiety. At least half of them had a self-perceived health condition that was deteriorated, their physical and role functioning being primarily affected.Conclusion: There is a need for psychological support of the patients suffering from limb amputation as most of the studies showed high prevalence of depression and anxiety. Socio-demographic factors also represent important elements in defining the quality of life of those patients.

Amputation, psychological consequences, and quality of life among Romanian patients

Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Research Centre for Education and Life Chances

Romanian Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Amputation of the limb is a major psychological health issue that was not fully studied. Patients and their families struggle with symptoms of depression,...

Amputation, psychological consequences, and quality of life among Romanian patients

Published Online: Aug 03, 2020

Page range: 29 - 40

Accepted: Jul 03, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rojost-2020-0006

Keywords
amputation, anxiety, depression, quality of life, rehabilitation

© 2020 Alin Cristinel Cotigă et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Amputation, psychological consequences, and quality of life among Romanian patients

Published Online: Aug 03, 2020

Page range: 29 - 40

Accepted: Jul 03, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rojost-2020-0006

Keywordsamputation, anxiety, depression, quality of life, rehabilitation

© 2020 Alin Cristinel Cotigă et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
amputation, anxiety, depression, quality of life, rehabilitation