Associations among socio-demographic and clinical factors and the quality of life of ostomized patients

Abstract

This study identifies the socio-demographic and clinical factors of patients with irreversible colostomy secondary to colorectal cancer and correlates them with quality of life (QOL). It is a cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected through interviews and the WHOQOL-bref to assess QOL. The sample comprised 60 patients. Most of the patients were male, elderly individuals, half were married and half did not have a sexual partner, with complete primary education, receiving up to two times the minimum wage, carried a stoma for three months on average, were instructed they would carry a stoma, but did not have their stoma marked prior to surgery. The average QOL score was 75.500, while the psychological, social and physical domains were the most affected. No statistically significant differences were found in QOL in relation to the following socio-demographic and clinical factors: female gender, low income, no sexual partners, and lack of instruction. The patients with an intestinal stoma presented a satisfactory QOL.