A Qualitative Study Exploring the Aftermath of Traumatic Amputation on the Social Life of Lower Limb Amputees

This video discusses about an original article published in the Indian journal of Palliative care published by Scientific Scholar.

A human being is a social animal, and social interactions are pivotal in his life. After traumatic amputation, a normal and able human being becomes disabled for the rest of his entire life. Despite affecting all aspects of life, this unanticipated disability results in undeniable effects on the social relationships and social behaviour of the person. This qualitative study was conducted to explore the aftermath of traumatic amputation on the social lives of lower limb amputees.

A qualitative approach with a phenomenological research design was employed. The study was conducted at an amputee clinic of a leading tertiary care hospital in North India. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit the participants who had undergone lower limb amputation due to trauma and were attending an amputee clinic for their follow-ups. The researchers conducted 16 in-depth, face-to-face interviews using a pre-validated interview guide until we reached data saturation. Data were analysed and three main themes emerged: (a) self-isolation (perceived social isolation); (b) support – the core of rehabilitation and (c) spirituality – a major factor in Indian culture.