“My stoma and me run away from life with my concerns”: a qualitative study

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the perceptions and lived experiences of persons with a stoma. The study group of this qualitative study consisted of 14 persons with a stoma (ileostomy and colostomy) determined with the purposive sampling method. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview method and evaluated with the phenomenological analysis method. Three main themes emerged in the study; “unmet information needs”, “I am dependent and anxious”, and “the transition from one life to another”. Most of the persons with a stoma reported that preoperative information was not sufficient, and therefore they encountered difficulties in their later lives. Some participants think that the stoma has ended their independence, negatively affects their self-confidence and is a burden. It is necessary to provide adequate preoperative information to individuals who will have a stoma to ensure success in the process. This study provides comprehensive information about how a stoma and the physiological problems it causes affect persons’ lives and is believed to contribute to the planning and implementation of holistic care.