Iranian Journal of War and Public Health

Aims: Amputation is highly effective on mental status, family and social relationships. Adjustment and modification of lifestyle is known as the strongest force to successful coping with amputation and stressful situations and it facilitates tolerance of problems for patients. The aim of this study was to explanation of effective factors in adjustment and modification of lifestyle in traumatic patients during the process of adaptation to amputation of lower limbs.

Participants & Methods: This qualitative study using content analysis method was done among patients with traumatic lower limb amputations in Ardabil. 20 participants were selected using purposive sampling from Veterans Foundation and Welfare Administration of Ardabil. The main method of data collection was in-depth and unstructured interviews with open questions. Data was analyzed using MAXq10 software word by word based on the 5 Steps of Lundman and Graneheim.

Finding: Central and pivotal concept of lifestyle was consisted from underlying and primary classes and events such as "getting the information", "the sense of independence", "pain control", "prosthesis replacement", "routines management", "exercise", "traveling" and "continuing the education".

Conclusion: The use of effective coping strategies, along with social support is the main factor in adaptation and compromise with amputation and lifestyle m