A Cross-sectional Study of Psychiatric Morbidity in Adult Amputees in a Tertiary Health Care Institute

Background: Amputation has an impact on quality of life of the individual due to immediate limitation in the physical activities. There are significant repercussions on occupational, economical and social functioning, contributing to psychiatric morbidity. Aims and Objective: To study socio-demographic profile and evaluate the psychiatric morbidity in amputees of age between 18-60 years. Material and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on Consecutive 70 new and follow-up cases of amputees who were being treated by Surgery or Orthopedics department of a tertiary health care centre. Results: Out of 70 patients Psychiatric morbidity was found in 32 (45.71%) of amputees. 25 (35.71%) were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 5 (7.14%) had panic disorder and 2(2.86%) had post-traumatic stress disorder. There was significant association between psychiatric morbidity and patients living in nuclear family, patients in the age group 31 to 40 years, had amputation on dominant side, and had neuropathic pain after amputation and phantom limb experience after amputation. Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity was found in 45.71% of amputees. The most common psychiatric morbidity in amputees was Major depressive disorder.