The Quality of Life of a Patient With Colostomy

Valentina Plazibat*; Nada Prlić; Ana Kovačević

doi:10.26332/seemedj.v1i2.54

Valentina Plazibat* Public Health Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Nada Prlić Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Department of Nursing, Medical Ethics and Palliative Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Ana Kovačević Clinical Hospital Osijek, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Clinic, Osijek, Croatia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26332/seemedj.v1i2.54

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this research was to examine the quality of life of patients with temporary or permanent colostomy regarding age, gender, marital status and time spent with an ostomy. Materials and Methods: The study involved 41 members of the Ostomy ILCO Clubs in Slavonski Brod and Osijek as respondents. The standard version of the “Quality of Life Questionnaire for a Patient with an Ostomy” was used as the research instrument. Results: The mean value of the overall scale was 5.4. The respondents rated the physical well-being the highest, a median of 5.9 (interquartile range 4.6 to 7.2), and social well-being the lowest, median 5.0 (interquartile range 4.1 to 6). Women gave higher marks for physical, social and spiritual well-being, and overall for the scale median of 5.5 (interquartile range 4.9 to 6.1), but with no significant differences compared to men. Married respondents ranked psychological, social and spiritual well-being higher, with a median of 5.4 (interquartile range 4.7 to 6.0), but with no significant differences compared to those who live alone. Physical, psychological and spiritual well- being is somewhatlower in patients under the age of 65, and social well-being is lower in subjects aged 66 - 75, the median of 4.7 (interquartile range 3.6 to 5.6). Correlation between the subscales pertaining to quality of life of the respondents with regard to their age and with regard to living alone (single, divorced or widowed) is significant in terms of the physical (Spearman coefficient of correlation = 0.945, p < 0.001), mental (Spearman coefficient of correlation = 0.943, p = 0.005), social (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.829, p = 0.042) and spiritual well-being (Spearman coefficient of correlation = 0.886, p = 0.019). Conclusion: Quality of life of patients with an ostomy is satisfactory. There are differences in quality of life regarding age, gender, marital status and time spent with an ostomy. There is also a connection between the subscales “quality of life regarding age” and “quality of life regarding marital status” of patients with colostomy.

Keywords: colostomy; quality of life