Community perception and acceptance of patients with prosthetic devices after disabilities in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: It is well-known that prostheses help people with special needs to adapt and have a better quality of life; however, the community’s perception and acceptance of patients with prosthetic devices have not been fully assessed. This study aimed to measure the community’s perception and acceptance of patients with prostheses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-developed questionnaire. The questionnaire included 20 questions to assess three main domains; marriage, employment, and friendship. The questionnaire was distributed for around 4 months to achieve the required sample size. The assessment of community acceptance of people with prostheses was measured by the Prosthesis Acceptance Assessment Test, which is 20 items on a five-point Likert scale. A score of 60 and above indicate a high acceptance rate for a participant. Results: A total of 526 participants responded to the questionnaire, of which only 68 (12.9%) participants knew someone with a prosthesis. Most participants were female (n = 292, 55.5%) and bachelor’s degree holders (n = 90, 26.1%). The acceptance rate was higher in females (n = 78, 26.7%) than males (n = 58, 24.8%), with most participants (n = 390, 74.1%) not accepting people with prostheses. Conclusion: Most participants in the study were not socially accepting people with a disability using prostheses. Reasons were not explored as there was no age, gender, or educational status differences that may have potentially explained the low acceptance rate.