Life experiences, feelings and perceptions of patients with ileostomy: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: Stoma practices lead to radical changes in life styles. The current study was done in order to determine life experiences, feelings and perceptions of patients with ileostomy, which is a type of stoma. METHOD: The study, which was qualitative design, was conducted with 14 patients who presented to Stomatherapy Unit of the Balcalı Hospital of Çukurova University between the 15th of March and the 15th of June, 2015 and had permanent ileostomy. Personal data were recorded in data collection form. In the study which was done with in-depth interview method; answers given to the questions/themes about life experiences, feelings and perceptions of patients with ileostomy were tape-recorded. The data were assessed with basic content analyses. FINDINGS: Mean age of the subjects was 52±12 (23-73) years, 57.1% of them was male patients, 71.4% of them was married, 57.1% of them had primary school degree and 42.8% of them was house-wives. It was detected that patients with ileostomy had leakage, leakage-fears affected their sleep patterns and clothes-selection and their social lives were restricted. Mood and perceptions of the patients were negative in the beginning stages. However; there were those who felt that having ileostomy was a burden to continue life and those who perceived ileostomy positively. Also, it was seen that sharing information with patients with ileostomy and receiving social and professional support affected their emotions and feelings positively. RESULTS: With the current study; it was explored that patients with ileostomy were disturbed by leakages, could not sleep and had problems in selecting clothes due to leakages most. In addition, it was noted that the patients needed time to get used to this life style. In light of the study-results; it was recommended that the correct ileostomy material should be determined and the patients should be guided about clothes-selection. But; it is necessary that advanced studies should be done with different samples that represent patients with ileostomy. The results of the current study will be used as evidence in the care of the patients with ileostomy at the institution where the study was done. KEY WORDS: ileostomy, life experiences, mood, perception, qualitative study