Amputee Statistics
Paul Irving
Description
Collection
Title:
Amputee Statistics
Creator:
Paul Irving
Date:
1/16/2001
Text:
Last year I completed in-depth research into the incidence of amputation in
the U.S. using the National Hospital
Discharge Survey (Series 13; Center for Disease Control, Division of Health
Care Statistics) from 1983 to 1997, the decennial census of 1990, and annual
population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Based on those sources,
the incidence of major lower limb amputation per 100,000 population within
the U.S. ranged from a low of 20.23 in 1991 to a high of 29.51 in 1983.
Over the 15 year period I examined, the average annual incidence totaled
24.50 per 100,000 with a median of 24.97 per 100,000.
Two important factors to consider:
1) The Division of Health Care Statistics compiled these numbers by
examining approximately 250,000 discharge records from approximately 475
short term, acute care hospitals each year. Using the results of the
sample, statistical analysis was used to estimate national incidence.
Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the data collection methods used by
the National Hospital Discharge Survey, the standard of error (an indication
of the reliability of the data) hovers around the 30% mark. A standard of
error that large greatly diminishes the reliability of such statistics.
2) As indicated above, these estimates consider major lower limb amputations
(TT, TF, KD) only. Because the National Hospital Discharge Survey is based
on a limited sample size, and due to the fact that other amputations (toe,
ray, partial foot, Symmes, and all upper limb amputations including
fingers) are so few in number, they fall off the low end of the National
Hospital Discharge Surveys radar. In other words, the sample size of these
procedures is so small, no statistically meaningful estimates can be made.
Despite a rather extensive search I was unable to find any other source that
provided annual estimates on a nation wide basis. There are a number of
excellent studies that are regional or hospital based, but these cannot be
used to make broad statements about the national incidence of amputation
because significant regional differences in the frequency of amputation are
well documented.
If anyone knows of a better, more statistically reliable source, please let
me know.
The take home message: based on the National Hospital Discharge Survey, the
average annual incidence of major lower limb amputations in the U.S. is
probably between
29 per 100,000 population (0.00029%) and 21 per 100,000 (0.00021%). In any
case, the estimate of 156,000 amputations/yr (as cited in By the
Numbers/Amputee
Statistics; 1/15/01) is nearly double the 78,000 estimated by the National
Hospital Discharge Survey for 1996, the year that the number of major lower
limb
amputations reached an all time peak during the 15 year period I surveyed.
Paul Irving
P & O Student
Rancho Los Amigos Hospital
the U.S. using the National Hospital
Discharge Survey (Series 13; Center for Disease Control, Division of Health
Care Statistics) from 1983 to 1997, the decennial census of 1990, and annual
population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Based on those sources,
the incidence of major lower limb amputation per 100,000 population within
the U.S. ranged from a low of 20.23 in 1991 to a high of 29.51 in 1983.
Over the 15 year period I examined, the average annual incidence totaled
24.50 per 100,000 with a median of 24.97 per 100,000.
Two important factors to consider:
1) The Division of Health Care Statistics compiled these numbers by
examining approximately 250,000 discharge records from approximately 475
short term, acute care hospitals each year. Using the results of the
sample, statistical analysis was used to estimate national incidence.
Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the data collection methods used by
the National Hospital Discharge Survey, the standard of error (an indication
of the reliability of the data) hovers around the 30% mark. A standard of
error that large greatly diminishes the reliability of such statistics.
2) As indicated above, these estimates consider major lower limb amputations
(TT, TF, KD) only. Because the National Hospital Discharge Survey is based
on a limited sample size, and due to the fact that other amputations (toe,
ray, partial foot, Symmes, and all upper limb amputations including
fingers) are so few in number, they fall off the low end of the National
Hospital Discharge Surveys radar. In other words, the sample size of these
procedures is so small, no statistically meaningful estimates can be made.
Despite a rather extensive search I was unable to find any other source that
provided annual estimates on a nation wide basis. There are a number of
excellent studies that are regional or hospital based, but these cannot be
used to make broad statements about the national incidence of amputation
because significant regional differences in the frequency of amputation are
well documented.
If anyone knows of a better, more statistically reliable source, please let
me know.
The take home message: based on the National Hospital Discharge Survey, the
average annual incidence of major lower limb amputations in the U.S. is
probably between
29 per 100,000 population (0.00029%) and 21 per 100,000 (0.00021%). In any
case, the estimate of 156,000 amputations/yr (as cited in By the
Numbers/Amputee
Statistics; 1/15/01) is nearly double the 78,000 estimated by the National
Hospital Discharge Survey for 1996, the year that the number of major lower
limb
amputations reached an all time peak during the 15 year period I surveyed.
Paul Irving
P & O Student
Rancho Los Amigos Hospital
Citation
Paul Irving, “Amputee Statistics,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/215619.
