Association Between Perceived Social Support, Self-Esteem And Quality Of Life Among Individuals With Major Lower Limb Amputation Due To Diabetes Admitted At Tertiary Care Hospitals Peshawar

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is a significant threat to global health, and its consequences, such as lower limb amputation significantly impact individuals’ quality of life (QoL). This study looks at the association between perceived social support, self-esteem, and QoL in people who have had major lower limb amputations because of diabetes in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Method: A correlational study design was used at three tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar i.e; Khyber Teaching facilities (KTH), Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), and Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). 174 participants were recruited using a convenient sampling strategy. Data was collected using an adopted questionnaire that consisted of four parts: Part A involved demographic information; Part B consisted of 12 items regarding perceived social [1]support and was measured via the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support; Part C comprised 10 questions related to self-esteem and was evaluated using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; and Part D involved QoL measured by the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire.

Results: The participant mean age was 60.52 years (SD + 6.6), with most being male (76.4%) and married (86.8%). The majority were unemployed (78.2%). Pearson correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between perceived social support and total QoL (r =0.234, p< 0.001), indicating that higher social support corresponds to better QoL. Additionally, an intermediate positive correlation was observed between self-esteem and total QoL (r =0.610, p< 0.001), demonstrating that higher self-esteem significantly enhances QoL.

Conclusion: The finding highlights the pivotal roles of perceived social support and self-esteem in improving QoL among individuals with major lower limb amputation. Interventions aimed at strengthening social networks and boosting self-esteem could contribute to better QoL outcome in this vulnerable population.