Utilization and Perception of Peer-Support After Lower Limb Loss in the United States: Potential Benefits on Mobility Outcomes.
Szu-Ping Lee, Moriah Maluotoga, Roopkiran Thind and 3 others
PMID 38242299WHAT IT FOUND
Most lower-limb amputees in this survey viewed peer support positively, citing companionship and coping information.
Mobility scores showed a non-significant trend toward improvement for those receiving support. Because participants were recruited via support groups, results may not apply to all patients.
Key findings
01Participants identified companionship, altruistic acts, and gaining information on how to cope with amputation as the main benefits of peer support.
02Those who received peer support had higher mobility scores than those who did not, but the difference was not statistically significant.
03The top barriers to participating in peer support were issues related to COVID-19 and scheduling conflicts.
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
Participants were recruited through amputee support groups, so the sample likely represents people already interested in or engaged with peer support, limiting generalizability to the wider limb loss population. More than 90% of respondents were current prosthesis users, suggesting a bias toward higher-functioning individuals. The cross-sectional design cannot prove that peer support causes better mobility; it is possible that people who are more mobile are also more likely to seek out peer support. The study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have skewed the reported barriers to participation.
Declared interests
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the higher mobility scores in the peer-support group as proof that peer support improves physical function. The difference was not statistically significant, and the study design cannot rule out that people with better mobility were simply more likely to participate in support groups.