Measuring Satisfaction With Upper Limb Prostheses: Orthotics and Prosthetics User Survey Revision That Includes Issues of Concern to Women.

Objective: To (1) modify the Orthotics and Prosthetics User Survey (OPUS) Client Satisfaction with Device (CSD) instrument to incorporate issues of concern to women and (2) evaluate measure's structural and concurrent validity and reliability in persons with upper limb amputation (ULA).

Design: Cross-sectional survey study with retest after 2 weeks. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Rasch analyses were used to select items and examine differential item functioning, range of coverage, and person and item reliability.

Assessment of Patient-Reported Physical Function in Persons With Upper Extremity Amputation: Comparison of Short Form Instruments.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare psychometric properties of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System upper extremity measure (PROMIS UE) 7-item short form with 6- and 13-item versions for persons with upper limb amputation.

Design: The study used a telephone survey of 681 persons with upper limb amputation. Versions were scored two ways: PROMIS health measure scoring (PROMIS UE HMSS) and sample-specific calibration (PROMIS UE AMP).

A National Survey of Prosthesis Use in Veterans with Major Upper Limb Amputation: Comparisons by Gender.

Background: A better understanding of women veterans with upper limb amputation is needed.

Objective: To compare prosthetic use and outcomes of female and male veterans with upper limb amputation.

Design: Cross-sectional survey: Amputation characteristics, prosthesis use, and quality of life outcomes were compared by gender.

How do the outcomes of the DEKA Arm compare to conventional prostheses?

Objectives: Objectives were to 1) compare self-reported function, dexterity, activity performance, quality of life and community integration of the DEKA Arm to conventional prostheses; and 2) examine differences in outcomes by conventional prosthesis type, terminal device type and by DEKA Arm configuration level.

Methods: This was a two-part study; Part A consisted of in-laboratory training. Part B consisted of home use.

Perceptions of satisfaction, usability and desirability of the DEKA Arm before and after a trial of home use.

Objectives: To: 1) describe perceptions of satisfaction with and usability of the DEKA Arm and preferences for the DEKA Arm or personal prosthesis; 2) compare perceptions of satisfaction and usability by DEKA Arm configuration level; and 3) evaluate satisfaction and usability for study completers and non-completers; and for those who did and did not want to receive a DEKA Arm.

Methods: The study had 2 phases: in-laboratory (Part A) and home trial (Part B). 32 participants with amputation, (50% transradial, 38% transhumeral and 13% shoulder) completed Part A and 18 completed Part B 16 (89%) of whom were prosthesis users at baseline.

Tailoring Outreach Efforts to Increase Primary Care Use Among Homeless Veterans: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Homeless individuals often have significant unmet health care needs that are critical to helping them leave homelessness. However, engaging them in primary and mental health care services is often elusive and difficult to achieve.

Objective: We aimed to increase health-seeking behavior and receipt of health care among homeless Veterans.

Factors associated with utilization of preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation services by patients with amputation in the VA system: an observational study.

Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense published evidence-based guidelines to standardize and improve rehabilitation of veterans with lower limb amputations; however, no studies have examined the guidelines' impact.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe the utilization of rehabilitative services in the acute care setting by people who underwent major lower limb amputation in the VA from 2005 to 2010, (2) to identify factors associated with receipt of rehabilitation services, and (3) to examine the impact of the guidelines on service receipt.

Design: A cross-sectional study of 12,599 patients, who underwent major surgical amputation of the lower limb at a VA medical center from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2010, was conducted.

Association of change in depression and anxiety symptoms with functional outcomes in pulmonary rehabilitation patients.

Objective: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has emerged over the last decade as an essential component of an integrated approach to managing patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We sought to examine how depression and anxiety symptom changes relate to disease-specific quality of life outcomes following PR.

Methods: We performed a cohort study of 81 patients with COPD who completed PR at a Veterans Administration Medical Center.