Lived experience of people with a below-knee amputation in Malta : assessing the quality of life and needs of care

Abstract

This study aims to examine the lived experience of Maltese men and women with a below- knee amputation, explore how biographical disruption affects these individuals’ quality of life, and highlight their support needs. A qualitative research design was adopted for this study to investigate the participants’ experience with below-knee amputation. A purposive sampling of 6 men and 3 women was recruited through gatekeepers from the non-governmental organisation ‘Amputees4Amputees’ and Karen Grech Hospital. In-depth interviews were conducted to gain an understanding in terms of the participants’ socialisation. An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA) was chosen to analyse the data. Four main themes and fourteen sub-themes were obtained from the data analysis. The findings show that participants accepted their altered body image and developed adaptation strategies to improve their QoL. The importance of having a supportive family and a collaboration of healthcare practitioners is highlighted as they both improve the participants’ physical and psychological health. Because the body and mind are intertwined, biographical disruption is reduced. A prosthesis is significant as it helped in restoring their previous personal and social identities. The participants were instilled with hope and willpower that looked at life positively. The disability stigma was not a concern as they regained normalcy.