Research Information System
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING SCIENCES, vol.12, no.2, pp.1041-1048, 2019 (Scopus)
Abstract Background: This study was planned to determine the effect of health status of patients with stoma on their illness perceptions. Methods: The study was planned and conducted as descriptive and cross-sectional in order to determine the effect of the health status of the patients with stoma on their illness perception. The population of the study consisted of 100 patients with stoma who met the study criteria. The study data were collected by using “Descriptive Characteristics Information Form” developed in line with the related literature and “Illness Perception Questionnaire” whose Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Armay et al. (2007). Ethical and institutional permits were obtained for carrying out the research. Results: It was found that 51% of the participants were female, 47% (n=47) were 61 years old and over, colostomy rate (72%) was higher than ileostomy (28%) rate, patients mostly experienced power loss and fatigue symptoms, mainly stress and anxiety (60%) caused to catch the illness. It was found that 50% of the patients thought that the rest of their life would pass through this disease, and 63% thought it was difficult for their relatives, 70% did not have personal control over the disease (p<0.05) and 74% did not understand why. Conclusions: In this study, it can be said that the majority of patients have a positive opinion about the efficacy of the treatment, but they do not understand the disease and this may be related to the psychological effects of the cancer diagnosis as well as the limitations that patients bring to their lives. When the patients’ perceptions on the illness outcomes were evaluated, it was found that the disease was a serious one and created moral and material difficulties on the life. Keywords: Stoma, Health, Cancer, Illness Perception