Does participation in patient support groups affect the quality of life of patients with intestinal stoma due to colorectal cancer? A cross-sectional study

Introduction. Participation in patient support groups is of considerable importance in the process of adapting to the consequences of colorectal cancer treatment. Material and methods. The cross-sectional study included 149 patients affiliated with 12 Regional Branches of the POL-ILKO Association in Poland. Standardized research tools were used, including the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, the AIS scale, the SWLS scale, and the GSES scale. In addition, a proprietary survey tool was constructed to collect data on the patients past medical history and demographics. Results. With regard to the quality of life assessments, the highest scores were obtained in the environmental domain (29.43) while the lowest scores were obtained in the social domain (10.49). The mean scores reported using the GSES, AIS, and SWLS scales were 31.44, 26.85, and 23.14, respectively, indicating a high sense of self-sufficiency and an average level of acceptance of the disease and satisfaction with life. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed with regard to the values within all subscales of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire as well as in the AIS, SWLS, and GSES scales, depending on the most demographic variables and medical history. Conclusions. Participation in patient support groups increases access to health education and has a positive impact on the attitudes of stoma patients toward their condition and the quality of their lives.