Adaptation to prostheses among patients with major lower-limb amputations and its association with sociodemographic and clinical data.
OBJECTIVE
Lower-limb amputation compromises patients' independence and autonomy, and therefore they should be referred for rehabilitation in order to adapt to prostheses and regain autonomy. The aim here was to assess adaptation to prostheses among patients with major lower-limb amputations and its association with sociodemographic and clinical data.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study in the city of Aracaju, Brazil.


METHODS
The patients were identified by primary healthcare teams. The inclusion criterion was that these should be patients who underwent major lower-limb amputations of any etiology. Associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables and the adaptation to lower-limb prostheses were assessed.


RESULTS
149 patients were examined. Adaptation to the prosthesis occurred in 40% (60/149) of them, but only 62% (37/60) were using it. Adaptation occurred more often among male patients (P = 0.017) and among those who had a higher educational level (P = 0.013), with a longer time since amputation (P = 0.049) and when the etiology was trauma (P = 0.003). The result from logistic regression analysis showed that only patients with low education (P = 0.031) were significantly associated with a lower frequency of adaptation to prostheses.


CONCLUSIONS
It was found that patients with a low educational level became adapted to the prosthesis less frequently.
Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Marco Antonio
MA
Nunes
Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Ivo
I
Campos-Neto
Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Leonardo Costa
LC
Ferraz
Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Camilla Andrade
CA
Lima
Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Tâmara Oliviera
TO
Rocha
Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
Thaisa Fátima
TF
Rocha
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors