The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics Canada

Interviewer:

Dr. Sander Hitzig, PhD, University of Toronto

Article:

Examination of social disconnectedness and perceived social isolation on health and life satisfaction in community-dwelling adults with dysvascular lower limb loss

Key Takeaways:

• The study was done pre-pandemic and was based on a previous study examining how social isolation impacts the quality of life for people with spinal cord injury
• Evidence supports that being socially isolated (or socially disconnected) and feelings of loneliness (or perceived social isolation), has significant negative impacts on someone’s health and well-being. 
• Research about social connectedness and loneliness in those with physical disabilities is lacking, so the purpose of this study was to begin to explore this topic in this population.
  

Below are some of the findings of this study examining social isolation in 231 people with limb loss from complications from diabetes or vascular disease:
– ⅓ of the study population was at risk of being significantly socially isolated or of feeling lonely
– being socially isolated and/or lonely is a strong predictor of poor quality of life
– social engagement was found to be a factor that accounted for one’s physical health
– loneliness (perceived social isolation) was significantly associated with lower mental quality of life and life satisfaction.

Please tell us about your lab, team, and research interests.

Our focus lies in user experience research for equity and health technology. We have a dedicated team working on exploring and enhancing the usability and effectiveness of health tech solutions, particularly for individuals with specific needs, such as older adults who use social prescribing programs or those with lower limb loss.

What are you working on right now that you are most excited about?

In terms of research in limb loss, Sander has recently received funding from The War Amps to examine the needs of those experiencing upper extremity limb loss as the research in this population is not as robust in Canada compared to that in the lower limb loss population. As well, he recently held a Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded virtual national meeting with over 60 people, including those with limb loss, healthcare providers, and researchers, to discuss a strategy for creating a national limb loss registry.

What are the next steps based on your research and how can we integrate your findings into clinical practice today?

It is important to be aware of issues of social isolation among those experiencing lower limb loss and other physical disabilities given the clear impact on people’s health and wellbeing.  One way to integrate our findings into practice might be the use of screening tools to assess if patients are at high risk of being socially isolated when discharged from rehab. It is also crucial to ensure that people will be well-supported once they are back in their community to prevent any adverse events happening.  Linking people to community services may also be an important step to ensure that people are not socially isolated once they leave the hospital.  In terms of next steps, the goal is to create standardized screening pathways for social isolation, as well as other mood or cognitive issues, that will impact a person’s ability to participate in rehab, and their subsequent return back home.