Mental Health Status and Quality of Life in Lower-Limb Amputees With Diabetes
Annelise Camilleri1, Alfred Gatt1, Nikolaos Papanas2
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta Majjistral, Malta.
Aim:
To compare mental health status and quality of life in lower-limb amputees versus nonamputees among participants with diabetes mellitus.
Methods:
We included 38 participants with prior minor amputation (group 1) and 38 participants without amputation /history of amputation (group 2). These were interviewed twice using 2 questionnaires to screen for mental health status and quality of life (Self Reporting Questionnaire 20-SRQ20 and EQ-5D-5L). Interviews were carried out 1 week and 6 months after amputation.
Results:
The mean SRQ20 score for group 1 at 1 week postamputation was 8.50 (diagnostic of a mental health disorder), while it was 1.34 for group 2. At 6 months, mean SRQ20 for group 1 decreased to 5.42, indicating a decrease in psychological distress. A significant difference in the mean values for each dimension of the EQ-5D-5L between groups 1 and 2 indicated that amputees had a poorer quality of life at 1 week and at 6 months.
Conclusion:
Mental health and quality of life are negatively affected at 1 week after minor lower-limb amputation in diabetes. At 6 months, some improvement in mental health distress was seen, indicating that these individuals had adapted to the disability.
Related Concept Videos
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Peripheral Artery Disease IV: Nursing Management
Peripheral Artery Disease V: Postoperative Nursing Management
Assessment of the Cardiovascular System III: Palpation
Jugular Venous Pressure (JVP) Measurement
Position the patient at a thirty- to forty-five-degree angle or in a semi-fowler's position. Look for the highest point of pulsation in the internal jugular vein and measure the vertical distance to the angle of Loius or sternal angle. A normal JVP is 3-4 cm above...
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications


