Public Health & Health Science Division, ULAB

In the United States alone, approximately 2.1 million people are living with limb loss, a number expected to double by 2050. Despite the number of amputees expected to increase, current infrastructures, from policies to health personnel, fail to support amputees in need of prosthetics worldwide. This study explores the variables causing the difficulties in accessibility and turn, the factors that affect the quality of life after limb loss. Included in this research paper is the analysis of different barriers to the implementation of prosthetics on a national and public health scale. Current literature suggests a combination of internal and external factors that influence the access to prosthetics and quality of life for amputees including socioeconomic factors such as income, race or ethnicity, insurance, and geographic location. There will be an exploration into the development of 3D printing as a promising solution to improving the quality of life for amputees while addressing multi-faceted concerns including sustainability and biodegradability.