Stomas can be either temporary or permanent. Stomas can cause physical issues such as uncontrolled gas output, bad odor, leakage, and local skin irritation, as well as psychological and social problems such as sexual dysfunction, changes in body image, decreased self-esteem, interpersonal relationship issues, depression, anxiety, loneliness, fear, and shame. These problems can reduce individuals' self-care abilities, negatively affect daily living activities, increase their vulnerability to stoma/peristomal complications, and further delay the closure of temporary stomas. Regardless of the type of stoma, all of these issues negatively impact patients' self-efficacy.
Many of these problems and potential complications after stoma formation are preventable. Patient education provided through a holistic approach covering pre-operative, post-operative, and home care and follow-up is of great importance in preventing complications and improving patients' adaptation to the stoma. However, a review of the literature reveals that stoma-related education programs typically focus on assessing quality of life and similar factors. Some of the studies reviewed include educational content on pre-operative patient preparation and post-operative care, while others focus only on post-operative complication management. However, high-evidence guidelines, such as Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, emphasize that the first step toward a successful surgical process should be patient education delivered through a holistic approach covering the entire surgical process.
Therefore, the planned research will be conducted to evaluate the effect of a training program provided to patients with permanent colostomies on self-efficacy.
