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Psychosocial adaptation to stoma surgery: A review

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Abstract

During the last decade strong improvements have been made in the medical care of patients with a digestive tract stoma, particularly with regard to nursing skills and to the quality of collecting material for faecal products. Scientific investigation into the psychosocial adjustment of patients after stoma surgery has intensified as well, giving us indications for quality of life. These developments induced a review of the actual state of affairs in psychological issues. After evaluating the results of psychosocial stoma research, it can be concluded that the technical improvements in stoma care during the past decade did not result in a decline in psychosocial problems after stoma surgery. However, there are some serious problems when interpreting the results of studies in this field of investigation. Stoma surgery is not per se solely responsible for the reported psychosocial problems, first, because many conclusions are based on research studies with poor design and, second, because these studies lack a theoretical framework within which the process of psychosocial adjustment has been measured and explained. This review assesses the most current developments and controversies in this field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Netherlands Institute of Primary Health Care (NIVEL), P. O. Box 1568, 3500 BN, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. J. T. M. Bekkers

  2. CPWO Institute, Klundert, The Netherlands

    F. C. E. van Knippenberg

  3. Department of Health Education, State University Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    H. W. van den Borne

  4. Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    H. Poen

  5. Department of Medical Humanities, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

    J. Bergsma

Authors
  1. M. J. T. M. Bekkers
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  2. F. C. E. van Knippenberg
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  3. H. W. van den Borne
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  4. H. Poen
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  5. J. Bergsma
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  6. G. P. van BergeHenegouwen
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Additional information

This study was made possible by the financial support of Glaxo Nederlands, B. V., and Convatec-Squibb, B. V., The Netherlands.

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Bekkers, M.J.T.M., van Knippenberg, F.C.E., van den Borne, H.W. et al. Psychosocial adaptation to stoma surgery: A review. J Behav Med 18, 1–31 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01857702

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