Psychosocial aspects of amputation.

Twenty-five subjects were studied who had undergone amputation 6 months to 2 years prior to the time of assessment. The sample was divided into sick (those having psychiatric illness) and non-sick (those without any psychiatric illness) groups, and then compared for various life events following the amputation. It was seen that those who were labelled as psychiatrically sick had more work impairment, change in job, socioeconomic difficulties and social avoidance. The latter two factors were also significantly more in right upper limb amputees than the left upper limb amputees; no such difference existed between the upper and lower limb amputees.