Enhancing Prosthesis Design Decisions: A New Patient Decision Aid
After a lower limb amputation, choosing the right prosthesis design is crucial for the user's quality of life. Recognizing the gap between prosthesis design options and the individual needs, values, and preferences of users, researchers have developed a prototype of a patient decision aid (PDA) aimed at guiding new prosthesis users and prosthetists through the decision-making process.
The development of the PDA was based on a qualitative needs assessment and adhered to the International Patient Decision Aid Standards. The tool was evaluated by steering groups of experienced prosthesis users, prosthetists, and researchers. They assessed the PDA's usability, accuracy, and comprehensibility through focus groups, interviews, and Likert scale ratings.
The new PDA includes six sections:
- Amputation and Early Recovery
- Communication
- Values
- Prosthesis Design
- Preferences
- Prosthetic Journey
The PDA received high ratings, with prosthetic professionals and prosthesis users grading its usability, accuracy, and comprehensibility above 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. One challenge noted was how much information to include in the PDA, given the diversity of end users’ information needs. This is an aspect of the PDA that needs additional beta testing in clinical situations.
This study, online now in Prosthetics and Orthotics International, was co-authored by Stefania Fatone, PhD, Professor, and colleagues from various institutions, including lead author Chelsey Anderson, PhD, who completed her Master of Prosthetics & Orthotics from UW in 2007.