Analysis and Survey of Patient Satisfaction with Bowel Stoma

A BSTRACT Aims and Objectives: The quality of life of patients with bowel stoma in rural Konkan is so far undetermined. This study was undertaken to yield answers about the impact that a bowel stoma has on the lives of patients. Methods: Study of 50 patients with stoma surgery during the period of 2020–2022. We designed a 20-item questionnaire that would help understand how patients were coping with a bowel stoma. Results: Our study revealed that 38% of the patients did not continue their prior occupation after the stoma creation. Forty-eight percent of patients had occasional restrictions in social gatherings whereas an additional 14% frequently faced this problem. Only 38% of the patients did not encounter any restrictions in a social gathering. Sixty-eight percent of the patients reported that they suffered from depression after stoma surgery. Analysis of the questionnaire showed that 62% of the patients were experiencing foul odor from the stoma. Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that there is substantial scope to improve the quality of life of patients with bowel stoma. Bowel stoma appliance issues were common. The effects of stoma were broad ranging and affected the social life of the patients. Our study shows that a significant proportion of patients are not able to resume their presurgery daily work of living.