Peer-mentorship among people with lower limb amputations living in small communities.
Jessica R Trimble, Jessica M Jessamine, Ken Bettin and 3 others
PMID 40468580WHAT IT FOUND
Eight people with lower limb amputations in small Canadian communities described peer mentorship as filling a gap clinical care could not.
Mentors provided practical strategies for daily tasks and emotional validation through shared lived experience. The relationship often evolved into a lasting friendship that supported long-term adjustment and resource navigation.
Key findings
01Participants valued peer mentors for answering specific practical questions about daily life, such as toileting, showering, and driving, which they felt clinicians lacked the time to address.
02Seeing a mentor with a similar amputation engage in valued activities helped participants build self-efficacy and reduce fear about their own future mobility and social acceptance.
03Peer mentors assisted with navigating health systems and accessing financial or housing supports, providing advocacy that participants had not received from other sources.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was very small (n=8) and drawn from a single informal program, limiting transferability. Participants were predominantly older than 50, male, and retired, so the findings may not reflect the experiences of younger adults, women, or employed individuals. The peer mentor had no formal training and received no socio-emotional support, which may not represent structured or professionally supported mentorship programs. Data collection occurred via telephone or video during the pandemic, which may have hindered rapport and the depth of shared vulnerable information. The study included only one participant who identified as a mentor, limiting insights into the mentor's perspective.
Declared interests
The study was conducted by student occupational therapists. One researcher had rural lived experience, but neither had amputation. No specific funding sources or commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that untrained peer mentorship is safe or effective. The mentor had no formal training and received no support, and the study reports only subjective experiences from a small, homogeneous group. It does not demonstrate improved clinical outcomes or rule out risks such as the sharing of inaccurate information or mentor burnout.