ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Masoumi   M. (1 )
Kamyab   M. (2 )
Alami   M. (* )
Yavari   A. (1 )
Soroush   M.R. (1 )
Khateri   S. (1 )
Mohsenzadegan   A. (1 )
Modirian   E. (3 )






(* ) Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC), Tehran, Iran
(1 ) Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC), Tehran, Iran
(2 ) Orthotics & Prosthetics Department, Rehabilitation Sciences School, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(3 ) Emergency Department, Medical Faculty, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC), No. 17, Farokh Street, Moghadas Ardabili Street, Yaman Street, Shahid Chamran Highway, Tehran, Iran
Phone: +982122416699
Fax: +982122416699
iranassistive@gmail.com

Article History

Received:  December  15, 2014
Accepted:  February 18, 2015
ePublished:  April 20, 2015

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-6] Children are highly at risk of explosions of land mines and other unexploded ordnances, since size, type and color of such ordnances attract their attention. On the other hand, physical damage in children due to their smaller size and lower resistance to impact and crash is more severe than adults [7].

One of the severe and irreversible effects of exploding ammunition is amputation [8]. ... [9-12]. Satisfaction of orthotics and prosthetics, and its durability is a very important point [13]. ... [14-17].

The purpose of the present study was to investigate and diagnose the mobility problems and mobility aids problems used by adolescent victims of mines and other unexploded ordnances.

This is a cross-sectional study (descriptive-analytic).

All adolescent victims (aged 9-18 years) of landmines and other unexploded ordnances in five border provinces of Iran (West Azerbaijan, Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Khuzestan) were studied.

All the victims were invited to participate in the national plan for monitoring health as a healthy recreational camp held in two stages.

In order to collect demographic data , the demographic questionnaire that had been used in other studies [2, 4, 7] and which provided information on age at the time of the incident, sex, province of residence, education level, type of activity at the accident scene , type of injury, weight and height was used. The overall situation of young victims’ limbs and spine was gone through the clinical examination by an orthopedic and technical orthopedic specialist. Also, the satisfaction from present prosthesis and orthotics was assessed based on the previous studies [13, 18]. The options were very high, high, average, low, and very low. The reason for dissatisfaction with the current prosthesis was also evaluated. In order to evaluate the usefulness of prosthesis for the movement of the users, the test which measured the duration of walking for 10 meters with a prosthesis was used [12, 18]. Received treatment plans included: the need for specialist advice, counseling (reconstructive surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, dermatology, rheumatology, cardiology and nutrition), delivery of orthotics, prosthetics and assistive devices, modification of orthotics, prostheses and assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics utilization training, health education, need for rehabilitation sessions (physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy, etc.) and the need for surgery. Chi-square test was used to investigate the relationship between age, sex, height, weight, state of residence, amputation with the need for orthotics, prosthetics and other assistive devices. … [19-27]

The mean age of victims in the study, was 16.11 ± 1.99years and it was 8.20 ± 3.12years at the time of the accident. The average height was 165.00 ± 10.47cm and the average weight was 54.25 ± 12.74kg (Table 1). 41 persons (52.6%) could take advantage of the prosthesis, 38 persons (92.68 %) of whom needed to use prosthetic on upper and lower limbs. In time of the study, 20 participants (25.64%) were using prosthesis, 18 patients (90%) using prosthesis in order to mobility. The required time for going through 10 meter distance with prosthesis was less than 20 seconds in 10 patients (50%) and more than 20 seconds in 6 participants (30%). In 11 young consumers (55%), prosthesis was timely replaced or modified in response to the physical growth. 16 devices (80%) of the used prostheses required repair, modification and replacement in the time of study. The rate of satisfaction of the prosthesis in those who were using it in the time of the study was very low in 8 patients (38.09%), low in 7 patients (33/33%), high in 4 patients (19.04%) and very high in one person (4.7%). There was a significant correlation between the age of the subjects in the time of study and 10 meters passing length with the prosthesis. The need for orthotics significantly had the lowest rate among adolescent victims in Kermanshah province, and the need for counseling was significantly higher in male victims in comparison to the female victims (45.31% vs. 10%). There was a significant relationship between amputation and giving the auxiliary equipment, orthotics and prosthetics. According to the results, people with amputations were significantly the most receivers of assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics among victim adolescents. No significant correlation was found between height, weight, state of residence and education level and the need for assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics.

Veterans who have used prosthesis in less duration after the amputation have higher satisfaction in comparison to other veterans [15]. 95% of patients have less satisfaction with their prosthesis, but they have to use them to carry out their daily activities due to their disability [28]. In a study of 45 veterans with amputations, 55% have expressed dissatisfaction with the prosthesis due to inappropriate size and quality of assistive device, the pain in limb and lack of comfort [29]. Only 15.38% of people with amputation above the knee have had a very high satisfaction with their prosthesis and about 30% have had low or very low satisfaction [13]. Satisfaction level of 25% of the participants has been low and very low [8]. … [30]

Monthly training workshops and consultations in order to reduce the mobility problems, short-term courses to improve knowledge and awareness, regular follow-up and periodic visits, cooperation with the native physicians and camping in each province should be done.

Participants' local language, young victims and lack of access to transport facilities were of the limitations for the present study.

Low satisfaction level indicates the need for more attention to treatment programs, rehabilitation sessions and the quality of assistive devices.

The participating veterans and Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs in the border provinces are appreciated.

Non-declared

The mentioned project was approved by the Ethics Committee of Engineering and Medical Research Center of Veterans.

This study was funded by Veteran Medical and Engineering Research Center and the Center for Certain Groups of Veterans.

TABLES and CHARTS

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