Satisfaction With Department of Veterans Affairs Prosthetics and Support Services as Reported by Women and Men Veterans.

BACKGROUND

Women veterans represent a growing number of veterans with limb loss who receive Veterans Health Administration treatment. This study surveyed a large sample of veterans about their satisfaction with prosthetic-related care and sought to understand how women veterans with limb loss rate their satisfaction with prostheses and care.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional, mixed-mode survey of 46,614 veterans with major upper or lower limb amputation or partial foot amputation to assess amputation type, prosthesis use intensity, satisfaction with prostheses and services, and quality of life. We conducted a descriptive analysis and compared responses for individuals who self-identified as men and women. χ tests determined significant differences in percentage calculations and tests determined significant differences in means across gender.

RESULTS

A total of 4981 respondents completed the survey, yielding a 10.7% raw response rate. Most respondents identified as men (83%) and White (77%). The mean age for men was 67 years while the mean age for women was 58 years. Women respondents were less likely to have diabetes or report their most recent amputation resulting from diabetes. Women were more likely to report not using a prosthesis, to use prostheses less intensely, and to have lower overall satisfaction, including lower satisfaction with prosthesis appearance, usefulness, reliability, and comfort. Men were more likely to be satisfied with prosthesis training and problem discussion. There were no differences in quality of life rating between women and men.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study reflect previous research indicating that women tend to be less satisfied with prostheses. The results also support recent findings that women veterans have different needs regarding prosthesis design and related care. This study is the largest sample of surveyed veterans with limb loss to date. Though the findings suggest veterans are generally happy with prosthetic related services, they point to several areas where their experiences with services or prostheses can be improved.