Impact of Amputation on a Patient's Relationship to Their Diabetes

AimsLower-extremity amputation is one of the most dramatic and severe complications of diabetes, with substantial human and financial repercussions. Our objective was to determine if the onset of a severe complication, such as amputation, would change a patient's perception of their diabetes and whether the complication would alter the patient's behavior regarding its management.MethodsThis qualitative research used semi-structured interviews with inductive thematic analysis. By comparing the emerging categories with the existing literature, an explanatory model was formulated in response to the research question.ResultsA person with diabetes progresses through multiple phases before developing new habits. Amputation, a life-changing event, can lead to a re-examination of one's lifestyle. The risks of setback are numerous, along with a sense of discouragement which can lead to protective behaviors by allowing the individual to give up responsibility for their health.ConclusionsThe role of the provider is to intervene at key moments of discouragement to limit or minimize a setback in self-management behavior. Long-term support for these patients cannot be the sole responsibility of general practitioners. In a context of limited resources, maintaining organizational coherence among different providers is crucial.