Article

Patient satisfaction is an important measurement in healthcare for
administrators, clinicians and patients. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the
role of gait deviation in patient satisfaction following lower-limb amputation
and prosthesis prescription. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was done.
METHODS: Twenty community-based unilateral lower-limb amputees, 12 transtibial
and 8 transfemoral, were recruited from support groups. Participants completed
the prosthesis evaluation questionnaire (PEQ) with embedded satisfaction-related
questions, the timed-up-and-go test and the six-minute walk test, and also
underwent quantitative three-dimensional analysis. Kinematic deviation was
summarized using the gait profile score (GPS). Results: Satisfaction levels were
generally high (median 80 + /100). Sociodemographic variables did not correlate
significantly with any of the satisfaction measures (-0.35 </= r </= 0.54).
Satisfaction correlated strongly with the PEQ scales, particularly ambulation,
prosthetic utility, frustration, perceived response and social burden (r >/=
0.70). By contrast, the relationships between satisfaction and performance-based
outcome measures were not significant (-0.45 </= r </= 0.43), and the GPS did not
correlate with any satisfaction measures (-0.23 </= r </= 0.15). Conclusions: In
this study of high functioning amputees, gait deviation was unimportant to the
amputee, while self-reported functional ability and attitudes toward the
prosthesis were the strongest correlates of satisfaction following lower-limb
amputation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For the high functioning individuals with
lower-limb amputation in this study, gait deviation was not a significant
correlate of patient satisfaction. Results suggest that improving self-perceived
functional ability and attitudes toward the prosthesis, rather than minimizing
gait deviation, will improve patient satisfaction.

Langue : ANGLAIS