Experiential Aspects in Patients With Permanent Urostomy Following Bladder Cancer Surgery: Meta‐Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

AIM: This systematic review and synthesis qualitatively explores the home life experiences of patients with a permanent urostomy following radical cystectomy. It aims to inform the development of tailored health management plans and facilitate effective intervention strategies based on patient needs. DESIGN: The quality of the included studies was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, and the findings were synthesised using the meta-synthesis method. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of qualitative studies published in both Chinese and English from the database's inception to July 2023. The databases searched for qualitative research on the home care experiences of patients with permanent urostomies after bladder cancer surgery included Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, CNKI, Wanfang Database and VIP Database. Two trained researchers independently used qualitative assessment and review tools for quality assessment and thematic synthesis tools for data analysis and integration. RESULTS: Seven studies were included, and four themes were summarised: physiological change; love and belonging; lack of knowledge and reinventing a new life. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This systematic review and meta-synthesis enables us to better understand and give necessary help and guidance to patients according to their actual situation, to solve the problems they face in daily life, to provide emotional, social and other support, to promote their self-adaptation, to enhance their self-management ability and ultimately to improve their quality of life.