Quality of Life and its Dimensions in Ostomates

Background and aims: An ostomy and its underlying disease can significantly diminish patient’s quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess quality of life in stoma patients and describe challenges facing these patients. Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, 84 patients with ostomy who reffered to selected educational centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Iranian Ostomy Association (IOA) were selected using a convenience sampling. Data were collected using the City of Hope Quality of Life–Ostomy Questionnaire (COH-QOL). Data was analyzed by SPSS using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The mean range of life quality scores for physical (71.5), psychological (6.52.1), social (62) and spiritual (6.62) domains and overall quality of life (6.61.6) was determined. Based on patients responses the statements of constipation (MSD=9.1 2.1), ability to remember things (MSD=8.4 2.4), having enough privacy at home for doing ostomy care (MSD=9.31.8) and having sense a reason for being alive (MSD=8.22.7) had the highest score in physical, psycological, social and spiritual dimentions of quality of life, respectively. On the other hand, the statements of “Overall physical well-being (MSD=5.93.2), difficulty of adjustment with ostomy (MSD=3.22.8), create distress (MSDSD =1.11.9) from illness in family and meeting needs from group religious activities (MSD=4.84.3) had the lowest scores in these dimentions, respectively. Findings also indicated that there was a significant relationship between overall quality of life and age, financial status, stoma status (permanent or temporary) and stoma duration (P0.05). Conclusion: This study provided useful information about quality of life and its related factors in stoma patients, and challenges facing this group as well. Using this information can be helpful to design care training programs for patient and family.