Understanding the Social, Political, and Cultural Dimensions of Lower Limb Amputation Experiences among People Living with Diabetes Mellitus

This chapter uses social epidemiology as a discipline to drive consideration of those living with amputation, which is directly attributable to the suboptimal maintenance of glycaemic levels in people living with diabetes mellitus within Western Africa. This approach provides a contextual insight into the interplay of socio-political factors and the role of culture in how individuals manage an electively acquired disability, alongside the continued management of chronic disease states. The chapter explores the significance of ensuring that patients living with diabetic lower limb amputation have a voice in terms of being able to articulate the impact of living with disability and the impact this has on them as individuals and the wider collective groups of family and communities.