Enhancing Quality of Life in Ostomized Patients Through Smart-Glasses-Supported Health Education: A Pre-Post Study
<b>Background</b>: Ostomy care consultations are essential for promoting patient autonomy and quality-of-life. The integration of innovative technologies may enhance health education and support effective self-care among ostomized patients. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a nursing-led health education intervention supported by smart-glasses on the quality of life of ostomized patients. <b>Methods</b>: A pre-post quasi-experimental design was employed with 14 patients who had undergone digestive surgery resulting in an ostomy. The intervention consisted of a single 60-min session comprising three phases: (1) assessment of baseline knowledge on ostomy management, (2) personalized feedback, and (3) a hands-on workshop using Vuzix© smart-glasses to demonstrate ostomy care techniques. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire before and after the intervention. <b>Results</b>: The intervention significantly improved overall SF-36 scores, with notable advancements in emotional role (78.57 ± 36.06 to 97.44 ± 9.25, d = 10.54), mental health (79.14 ± 20.10 to 87.38 ± 13.94, d = 6.27), and vitality (69.29 ± 20.56 to 71.15 ± 16.98, d = 4.19). Social function remained high throughout the study, while bodily pain showed a slight decline. A strong correlation (ρ = 0.923, <i>p</i> = 0.001) was observed between pre- and post-intervention quality of life scores. <b>Conclusions</b>: The findings suggest that integrating smart-glasses into nursing-led health education may enhance the quality of life and self-care capabilities of ostomized patients. However, the small sample size, lack of a control group, and exploratory nature of the study limit the generalizability of the results. Further research is needed to validate these findings in larger, controlled trials.
Authors
- Emilio Rubén Pego Pérez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5515-9172)
- Raquel Rodríguez‐González (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4171-0263)
- Tomás Mendoza Caamaño (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8445-8415)
- Nuria Martínez Laranga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0168-6409)
- David Rey-Bretal
- Manuel Gandoy Crego
- Noelia Gerbaudo-González
Institutions
- Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (ES)
- Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Healthcare
- Published
- 2026-01-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14020216
- Primary Topic
- Stoma care and complications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00