TY - JOUR
T1 - Quality of Life Outcomes in 599 Cancer and Non-Cancer Patients with Colostomies
AU - Krouse, Robert
AU - Grant, Marcia
AU - Ferrell, Betty
AU - Dean, Grace
AU - Nelson, Rebecca
AU - Chu, David
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant from the NIH/NCI. CA 72666: Quality of Life for Cancer Patients with Ostomies and the City of Hope Cancer Center Support Grant CA 33572.
PY - 2007/3
Y1 - 2007/3
N2 - Background: A colostomy is known to impact negatively on a patient's quality of life (QOL). Concerns include incontinence, rectal discharge, gas, difficulties in returning to work, decreased sexual activity, and travel and leisure challenges. Reports have described QOL outcomes in cancer patients with colostomies and inflammatory bowel syndrome with colostomies, but little has been written regarding a comparison of cancer and non-cancer populations. The purpose of this study was to describe QOL issues of colostomy patients and compare these issues in cancer and non-cancer participants. Materials and methods: A QOL-ostomy questionnaire was mailed to 2455 California members of the United Ostomy Association. Results: Of the 1457 respondents (59%), 599 had a colostomy. Most were results from cancer (517/599), with colorectal cancer being the most common diagnosis. The most common benign diagnoses were inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulitis. Demographics were similar, except for more females in the non-cancer group (76%), and increased length of time with colostomy from the cancer group (mean 135.9 versus 106.4 months, P = 0.03). Common QOL problems included sexual problems, gas, constipation, travel difficulties, and dissatisfaction with appearance. Overall, cancer patients had less difficulty adjusting to their colostomies. Conclusions: Results confirmed the negative impact of a colostomy on QOL. While patients with cancer had a better overall QOL than those with benign processes, concerns were common to all colostomy patients. These results provide health care practitioners with information useful in discussing QOL concerns during pre-operation treatment decisions and post operative teaching and follow-up care.
AB - Background: A colostomy is known to impact negatively on a patient's quality of life (QOL). Concerns include incontinence, rectal discharge, gas, difficulties in returning to work, decreased sexual activity, and travel and leisure challenges. Reports have described QOL outcomes in cancer patients with colostomies and inflammatory bowel syndrome with colostomies, but little has been written regarding a comparison of cancer and non-cancer populations. The purpose of this study was to describe QOL issues of colostomy patients and compare these issues in cancer and non-cancer participants. Materials and methods: A QOL-ostomy questionnaire was mailed to 2455 California members of the United Ostomy Association. Results: Of the 1457 respondents (59%), 599 had a colostomy. Most were results from cancer (517/599), with colorectal cancer being the most common diagnosis. The most common benign diagnoses were inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulitis. Demographics were similar, except for more females in the non-cancer group (76%), and increased length of time with colostomy from the cancer group (mean 135.9 versus 106.4 months, P = 0.03). Common QOL problems included sexual problems, gas, constipation, travel difficulties, and dissatisfaction with appearance. Overall, cancer patients had less difficulty adjusting to their colostomies. Conclusions: Results confirmed the negative impact of a colostomy on QOL. While patients with cancer had a better overall QOL than those with benign processes, concerns were common to all colostomy patients. These results provide health care practitioners with information useful in discussing QOL concerns during pre-operation treatment decisions and post operative teaching and follow-up care.
KW - Cancer
KW - Colostomy
KW - Non-cancer
KW - Quality of life
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jss.2006.04.033
DO - 10.1016/j.jss.2006.04.033
M3 - Article
C2 - 17196990
AN - SCOPUS:33846886962
SN - 0022-4804
VL - 138
SP - 79
EP - 87
JO - Journal of Surgical Research
JF - Journal of Surgical Research
IS - 1
ER -