title: Functional and psychosocial status of Haitians who became users of lower extremity prostheses as a result of the 2010 earthquake.
abstract: The January 12, 2010 earthquake devastated Port-Au-Prince, the capital of the Republic of Haiti, and its surroundings. Among the 300,000 injured, 1,200 to 1,500 people underwent traumatic /surgical amputations. The purpose of this study was to describe the functional and psychosocial impact of prostheses users who suffered a traumatic lower-limb amputation after the earthquake of 2010 in Haiti. We recruited 140 participants in collaboration with a large health care organization in Port-au-Prince from October 2011 to May 2012. Participants underwent an evaluation of physical impairments and completed questionnaires translated into Haitian Creole. The Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scale (TAPES), and the Locomotor Capabilities Index (LCI) were used in this study. The questionnaires were administered verbally in Haitian Creole by a trained staff. We conducted descriptive statistics and t-tests using SPSS for data analysis. Participants had a mean age of 34.9 ± 12.0; 51.4% were women; 48.6% were transfemoral amputees. The mean of TAPES general adjustment (3.65 ± 0.59) and adjust to limitation (3.67 ± 0.86) were higher than the score for the social adjustment (2.58 ± 0.49). The LCI showed over 90% of subjects were physically independent in self-care; fewer were independent walking on uneven ground or inclement weather (69%). The relatively poor social adjustment is consistent with the literature that describes limited acceptance of people with physical disabilities in Haitian society. Prostheses users in Haiti would benefit from a health delivery infrastructure that also addresses the psychosocial reintegration of individuals with physical disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, Department of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Marilys G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Randolph
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, Department of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elbaum
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, Department of Occupational Therapy.
authors.forename: Pey-Shan
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, Department of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brunt
authors.affiliation: G.E.S.K.I.O. Health Center.
authors.forename: Jessy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Anahid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulwicki
authors.affiliation: Florida International University, Department of Social Work.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De la Rosa