Nutritional intake in people who have undergone a major dysvascular lower limb amputation: a qualitative study on perceptions, experiences, barriers and facilitators

Purpose: To describe perceptions and experiences of people who have undergone a major dysvascular lower limb amputation (LLA) regarding nutrition, and to identify perceived barriers and facilitators regarding nutritional intake.

Methods: In this phenomenological qualitative study, individual, semi-structured, face-to-face, interviews were conducted with people who had undergone a major dysvascular LLA and were living independently. Sample size was guided on information power. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and reflexive thematic analysis was performed.

Results: Thirteen participants were interviewed. Four themes were generated: (1) mainly non-health-related factors determine food choices, (2) limited perceived awareness of the nutritional value and the impact of nutrition on health and clinical outcomes, (3) support is mainly practical by personal network, while professional nutritional care is limited, and (4) low need to change eating habits.

Conclusions: Findings of this study underscore the urgency to increase awareness of healthy and adequate nutritional intake. Patient-centered nutritional care should be provided with techniques of motivational interviewing, to potentially improve health and clinical outcomes in people who have undergone a major dysvascular LLA.