The psychological aspects of having a stoma: a literature review

Evidence suggests that patients undergoing stoma-formation surgery can experience psychological difficulties that will have a detrimental effect on the stoma patient's (i.e. the ostomate's) quality of life over time. In this literature review, three main categories emerged from the data: physical adaptation, social adaptation, and psychological adaptation, with three subcategories: temporary vs permanent stoma, ileostomy vs colostomy, and cancer vs non-cancer diagnoses. However, it became clear that although ostomates have varied experiences depending on their diagnosis and type of stoma, there are similarities in the problems experienced and concerns expressed, albeit with different priorities. It is recommended that stoma education should be central to both staff and patients. More emphasis should be placed on preoperative counselling, in order to prepare a patient mentally for the stoma-formation surgery. More research using qualitative methodologies is necessary to study the emotional issues faced by ostomates, such as living life with a stoma.