Background/Objectives: Peristomal skin complications are common among individuals with a stoma and are associated with decreased quality of life, increased healthcare costs, social isolation, and various other challenges. However, these complications can often be prevented through appropriate care, patient education, counseling, and follow-up. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of education based on Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory (SCDNT) in preventing peristomal skin complications. Methods: The study included 45 patients with newly formed stomas, allocated to an experimental group (n = 24) and a control group (n = 21) using a nonrandomized approach. Both groups received routine postoperative education, while the experimental group additionally received structured education, counseling, and follow-up based on SCDNT. Data were collected using the Patient Characteristics Form, Self-Care Agency Scale (SCAS), Stoma Quality of Life Scale (SQOL), Patient Outcomes Evaluation Form, and Patient Opinions Questionnaire. Results: Among the participants, 73.3% had undergone stoma surgery due to cancer, and 53.3% had an ileostomy. Peristomal skin complications were observed in 54.2% of patients in the experimental group and 95.2% in the control group (p < 0.05). The most frequently reported complications were irritant dermatitis (71.4%) and hyperplasia (22.7%). The mean recovery time was shorter in the experimental group (21 ± 12.95 days) compared to the control group (44.65 ± 23.56 days) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: SCDNT-based education, counseling, and follow-up may be associated with lower rates and shorter durations of peristomal skin complications and earlier patient engagement in self-care. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the nonrandomized design, small sample size, and differences in follow-up intensity. Further randomized controlled studies are recommended to confirm these findings.
Ay et al. (Tue,) studied this question.