Experiences of Living with Intestinal Ostomy: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim and objective of the study was to identify, compare, and synthesize published qualitative evidence to have in-depth understanding of experiences of patients living with intestinal ostomy. BACKGROUND: Over the past two decades, there have been numerous qualitative studies published depicting intense experiences of stoma patients brought about by the need to adapt with changing conditions following stoma creation. Synthesizing the findings of these studies can improve the understanding among health-care providers of needed support and care for ostomates. DESIGN: This was a qualitative meta-synthesis. METHODS: Published articles were identified from the Medline, CINAHL, SciELO, PsycINFO, PubMed, WOS, Google Scholar and a hand search through selected journals published since 2000, and from references lists. Thirteen articles were selected using the predefined criteria. RESULTS: A total of 222 patients, aged between 14 and 83 years from 13 studies, were identified for data collection. Ninety-seven were male and the rest of them were female. The themes identified were physical problems, psychological issues, social relations, environmental impact, and coping and adaptation to stoma. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study identified numerous challenges and limitations in the life of patients with stoma. However, improving their skills of using problem-solving coping strategies and their interactions with other ostomates can help them to live a better and well-adjusted life.