Sociodemographic Determinants for the Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients with Vascular Amputations as Determined with the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: To identify the sociodemographic variables independently related to the different dimensions of the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ). METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted, with a sample of 61 Spanish vascular amputees (Valencia, Spain). Included in this study are the results of the PEQ and explanatory-sociodemographic variables, as well as a descriptive and analytic analysis. RESULTS: Gender differences were observed in "appearance" and "perception of appearance" (significantly higher levels for men). Older patients tended to have worse scores in "utility", "frustration", "social burden" and "deambulation". More favorable scores were obtained for those residing in rural areas in "social burden" and "deambulation". Educational level had a positive correlation with scores. CONCLUSION: Gender, age, place of residence, and educational level could be considered determinants of the quality of health related to prosthesis adaptation in vascular amputees. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowing the influential variables in the process of prosthetization will allow better adaptation and an improvement in the quality of life.

Cross-cultural validation of the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire in vascular amputees fitted with prostheses in Spain.

BACKGROUND: The lack of specific prosthetic-related outcome instruments for Spanish amputees must be addressed. OBJECTIVE: To elaborate a culturally equivalent version of the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire in the Spanish language. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-cultural questionnaire validation. METHODS: Two-step process for cultural adaptation: forward and backward translations of English original and Spanish translated versions; assessment of both construct and criterion validity and reliability in a group of vascular amputees. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients were recruited, 44 men (72.1%) and 17 women (27.9%), with a median age of 71.1 years (standard deviation: 7.7 years; range: 51-87 years). In the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire-Spanish, the lowest scores were for gait and frustration, and the highest scores were for noise and stump health. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was acceptable (>0.70) for four of the scales used in the Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire but poor (<0.50) for the scales relating to appearance and stump health. Correlations with the quality-of-life levels as measured by the Short Form-36 were positive and mostly significant. CONCLUSION: Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire-Spanish could assess the quality of life in patients who have undergone vascular amputations and then been fitted with a prosthetic limb. The questionnaire shows adequate criteria validity when compared with other instruments for measuring quality of life. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire-Spanish could be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing adaptation to prostheses in vascular amputees. The questionnaire adds information relevant to the patient and the physician and may identify cases with poor expected adaptation to the prosthesis.