Research presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Academic Physiatrists found that women with limb loss reported worse residual limb health compared to men, but had significantly fewer activity restrictions, and reported less satisfaction with the usefulness/reliability of their prosthesis than men. Women with limb loss were also less satisfied with appearance compared to men, reported less ease in social situations, higher anxiety and depression, and worse body image perception than men. The findings led the researchers to conclude that medical providers treating women with limb loss must adapt their healthcare delivery approach to address women’s unique physical and psychosocial needs.
The presentation addressed the growing population of women with limb loss and the limited research that exists to provide evidence-based support for clinical decision-making expressly for them.
“This lack of research presents a significant challenge for clinicians and physicians to address the needs of women with limb loss that may vary from men,” said Roxanne Disla, OTD, OTR/L, an occupational therapist at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center and the study’s presenting author. “Furthermore, male structure and biomechanics tend to be the base for most prosthetic devices. As a result, women with limb loss tend to face significant challenges such as ill-fitting prostheses, skin issues, and an increased risk of other health problems.”
In the study, a convenience sample of people with amputations, 115 women and 93 men, completed an online needs assessment consisting of a bank of existing limb loss- and non-limb loss-specific surveys, which were categorized around domains of general health, quality of life, prosthetic use/needs, psychosocial health and behaviors, and body image. The surveys were supplemented with written items to ensure adequate coverage of relevant domains.
Preliminary analyses indicated that women with limb loss have unique physical and psychosocial needs, thus challenging providers for women with limb loss to evolve healthcare delivery and research practices, as well as work jointly with industry in order to meet the unique needs of this population, the researchers concluded.
“Through this joint collaboration between VA, [the Department of Defense], and the private sector, my team and I will ultimately help bridge the gap in understanding the specific needs of women with limb loss in order to provide the highest levels of care for this underserved population,” said Disla.
