Association of pain with employment status and satisfaction among amputees in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between residual and phantom limb pain and working life among persons with limb amputation.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study in which amputee patients completed a mailed questionnaire about their residual limb and phantom limb pain, employment status, and satisfaction with working life.


METHODS
Department of rehabilitation medicine of a major hospital in Japan.


METHODS
All participants were registered at the industrial rehabilitation center of a general hospital in Japan. Responses were received from 101 of the 147 patients (response rate, 68.7%) who were sent the questionnaire.


METHODS
An amputation pain and employment status survey that included a standardized pain measure.


METHODS
A self-report questionnaire, with 1 part concerning employment status and satisfaction with working life, and the other regarding amputation-related pain, which the participant described according to the Chronic Pain Grade (CPG).


RESULTS
We found (1) no statistically significant association between types of pain and the return to work rate, (2) no statistically significant association between the pain severity as graded by the CPG and return to work rate, and (3) satisfaction with working life was significantly related to the CPG categories.


CONCLUSIONS
The severity of pain does not appear to be associated with return to work among limb amputees. However, it is associated with satisfaction with working life. Appropriate treatment of pain may therefore improve work-related satisfaction.
Ide
Makoto
M
Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan. VZA06307@nifty.ne.jp
Obayashi
Takeharu
T
Toyonaga
Toshihiro
T
D000368:Aged; D000674:Amputees; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010591:Phantom Limb / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires