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Background: Nurses working with patients who needed to have colostomies prior to myocutaneous flap surgeries noticed that patients were opting to keep their ostomies after they were no longer medically necessary. The question arose: What factors affect satisfaction and quality of life after spinal cord injury and neurogenic bowel?
Purpose: To investigate the association between characteristics of individuals with spinal cord injury and neurogenic bowel, and their perceived quality of life.
Design: The study design is an exploratory, descriptive correlational design. To measure the variables of the study the Quality of Life Survey developed by Randall et al was used.
Statistics: A t-test was used to compare subscales of quality of life with their current bowel program. Chi square was used to determine if there was an association between life satisfaction and specific bowel program aids (lubricants, suppositories etc). Chi square was also used to compare life satisfaction with specific bowel program problems (constipation, bowel accidents, hematochesia etc).
Participants/Method: 2161 individuals met the inclusion criteria. Data was collected from the a random half of the individuals who met the inclusion criteria.
Results: Significant associations were found between:
· People are more satisfied with their bowel programs if they perceive less complication.
· Pain, time, and poor bowel results impact satisfaction with the bowel program the most.
· More research is needed to study the effects of ostomies on satisfaction and quality of life.
Purpose: To investigate the association between characteristics of individuals with spinal cord injury and neurogenic bowel, and their perceived quality of life.
Design: The study design is an exploratory, descriptive correlational design. To measure the variables of the study the Quality of Life Survey developed by Randall et al was used.
Statistics: A t-test was used to compare subscales of quality of life with their current bowel program. Chi square was used to determine if there was an association between life satisfaction and specific bowel program aids (lubricants, suppositories etc). Chi square was also used to compare life satisfaction with specific bowel program problems (constipation, bowel accidents, hematochesia etc).
Participants/Method: 2161 individuals met the inclusion criteria. Data was collected from the a random half of the individuals who met the inclusion criteria.
Results: Significant associations were found between:
- dissatisfaction with current bowel program and poor bowel results
- dissatisfaction with current bowel program and length of time to perform the bowel program
- dissatisfaction with current bowel program and pain with the bowel program
· People are more satisfied with their bowel programs if they perceive less complication.
· Pain, time, and poor bowel results impact satisfaction with the bowel program the most.
· More research is needed to study the effects of ostomies on satisfaction and quality of life.
The knowledge gained from the study can be used by clinicians when counseling individuals regarding choices for bowed management.