Maintaining healthy skin around an ostomy: peristomal skin disorders and self-assessment

Abstract

Problems affecting the peristomal skin are common in people with an ostomy and are an important area of stoma care nurse intervention. The DialogueStudy documented the experiences of more than 3000 people with an ostomy, with a focus on quality of life (QoL) and peristomal skin condition. These factors were assessed using the Ostomy Skin Tool. At visit 1, 60% of participants had a skin disorder, with irritant contact dermatitis (48%) and mechanical trauma (21%) being the most common causes cited. Only 53% of participants with a skin disorder were aware of it. The mean DET score had improved (decreased) from 2.5 (±2.8) at visit 1 to 1.6 (±2.1) at visit 2, 6–8 weeks later (P<0.0001). The factors affecting peristomal skin included age, time since surgery, ostomy type, choice of appliance and leakage. The results demonstrate that the combination of evidence-based nursing practices and the use of a double-layer adhesive, SenSura (Coloplast A/S) improved peristomal skin condition in people with an ostomy.