title: Causes and consequences of the deficiencies of the lower limbs in the Republic of Guinea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  According to the last general census of 1996, the deficiency of lower limbs is the main cause of handicap in the Republic of Guinea. The objective of this study that took place in 2008 in Conakry is to analyze the main causes of this phenomenon, as well as to understand the reasons of their increase within the Guinean capital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our survey covered 244 Guineans out of which 170 men and 74 women were living in Conakry, aged between 10 and 68 years old (±12,6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main causes of the deficiencies are the poliomyelitis after-effects (40%), as well as other risk factors such as the road accidents and the failure of the health system. Whatever the nature of the deficiencies, their compensation is mainly based on the technical supports such as tricycles and wheelchairs. However, they are distributed in a random way and without any medical follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The orthopedic care in the Republic of Guinea is insufficient and inadequate. Hence, certain individuals who need it the most do not receive it. This type of care is not always helpful and sometimes harmful to the health of the disabled persons.
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Sport Sciences Faculty, 14 Rue Réné Descartes, Strasbourg, 67084 France. vitalytch@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vitaly
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tchirkov
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambassa
authors.forename: Muhammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D016701:Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D038061:Lower Extremity Deformities, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult