Peer support for individuals with major limb loss: a scoping review

BACKGROUND: Major limb loss can have profound physical and psychosocial implications for individuals, impacting their quality of life and well-being. Despite the effectiveness of peer support in improving outcomes for various chronic conditions, its impact on individuals with major limb loss remains understudied. OBJECTIVE(S): This review aims to explore the existing literature on peer support for individuals with major limb loss. Specifically, exploring how the literature defines peer support; examining its implementation, identifying outcomes measured in peer support interventions, assessing the benefits for individuals with major limb loss, and identifying barriers associated with peer support provision. STUDY DESIGN: This review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework, analysing relevant literature to identify evidence, definitions, and key factors related to peer support for individuals with major limb loss. METHODOLOGY: A comprehensive search in January 2023 utilized databases: MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Embase, and CINAHL. After a two-phase screening process, articles meeting specific criteria were included. Thematic and descriptive numerical analyses were applied to the extracted data. FINDINGS: Twenty-two articles were reviewed. Peer support was described as an opportunity to provide education, advice, and encouragement between individuals with lived experiences. Across the two intervention-based studies investigating peer support programs, outcome measures included physical, psychological, social, and quality of life. Qualitative studies described perceived benefits as improved psychosocial well-being and the opportunity to exchange knowledge. Perceived barriers included a lack of formal training and male-dominated groups, which deterred individuals with amputation from participating. CONCLUSION: The evidence from the findings of the review sheds light on the current understanding of peer support for individuals with amputation. Due to the limited number of studies available, future research is necessary to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of peer support interventions tailored to this population. Layman's Abstract Peer support offers a supportive relationship between individuals who have shared experiences with a disease or condition. While proven to enhance outcomes for individuals with chronic diseases, its impact on individuals with limb amputations is not well understood. The goal of this review was to explore how peer support is defined, measured, and implemented in individuals with amputation. This project summarized information from twenty-two peer-reviewed articles collected from multiple scientific databases. The benefits of peer support included improved psychosocial well-being and knowledge exchange, while identified barriers highlighted challenges such as a lack of formal training and gender imbalances within support groups. While this review sheds light on the positive aspects of peer support for individuals with amputation, it underscores the need for more extensive research in this area. Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/42170/32283 How To Cite: Costa-Parke A, Di Lella A.M, Walker A, Verweel L, MacKay C. Peer support for individuals with major limb loss: A scoping review. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal. 2023; Volume 6, Issue 1, No.6. https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v6i1.42170 Corresponding Author: Lee Verweel, BSc, Msc West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto, Canada. E-Mail: Lee.verweel@westpark.org ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3363-8161