Levels of Fear in Patients Scheduled for Amputation at The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Reginald Arthur-Mensah Jnr,Sabina Coffie,Lincoln Tetteh-Ahinakwa,Abigail Agartha Kyei

doi:10.5539/ijps.v13n1p48

Reginald Arthur-Mensah Jnr, Sabina Coffie + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5539/ijps.v13n1p48

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and levels of fear in patients scheduled for amputations at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra, Ghana. A total of 30 patients hospitalized at the surgical wards and the orthopaedic and accident center wards between November 2019 and May 2020 were included in the study. The Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ) was used to measure the levels of fear in the patients the day before surgery. Findings showed that the major type of amputation was below knee amputation, 16/30 (53.3%), the main reason for amputation was due to Diabetic foot wounds, 16/30 (53.3%), the immediate reaction to the news of the amputation was sadness, 12/30 (40%). All patients were afraid. Mean (SD) SFQ-s scores were 16.23 (9.22) and mean (SD) SFQ-l scores were 19.40 (9.65). Though the levels of fear were generally low, long term fear was higher among the patients than the short-term fear consequences of the surgery. Gender was significant associated with patients&rsquo; immediate reaction to fear. Age was significantly associated with the levels of fear. We propose multidisciplinary interactions and well-thought-out rehabilitation programs to enhance patient outcomes and improve the quality of life of amputees.

Highlights

Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb (Solgajová, Sollár, & Vörösová, 2015)
The Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ) was used to measure the short-term fear (SFQ-s) and long-term fear (SFQ-l) among patients scheduled for amputation
Between November 2019 and May 2020 patients scheduled for amputation were sampled for the study

Summary

Introduction

Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb (Solgajová, Sollár, & Vörösová, 2015). It is the condition of disability resulting from the irreversible loss of one or more limbs (Solgajová et al, 2015). The typical indications of amputation include trauma, diseases and neoplasms (Attinger & Brown, 2012). Some Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), example diabetic foot wounds represent a condition when the affected foot may require amputation when putrefaction starts to appear (Attinger & Brown, 2012; McKenzie, Simpson, & Stewart, 2010). An abnormal new mass of tissue that serves no purpose in any part of the body may be cut off (Attinger & Brown, 2012)

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