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It is well documented in psychological journals[1]that spousal support for those with life-altering surgeries plays an important role in the patient’s recovery process.
Aims/Methods
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of spousal support on various societal and psychological factors which can influence an ostomate’s ability to recover from their ostomy surgery. The analysis utilized a subset (n=1943) of the Ostomy Comprehensive Health and Life Assessment survey[2](N=4097).
Spousal support was defined by whether the spouse of the ostomate participated in stomal care education and whether the spouse openly discussed the ostomate’s ostomy with them.
Analysis was conducted via logistic regression and descriptive statistics.
Results
Fifty-seven percent of the participants indicated that their spouse participated in stomal care education with them and 66% indicated that their spouse openly talked to them about their stoma(s). However, 20% indicated their spouse either seldom discussed or refused to discuss their stoma. Spouses who did not undergo stomal education were 4.7 (95% CI: 3.8-5.8) times more likely to avoid stomal discussion leading the ostomate to be at a greater risk of developing societal and psychological distress. Ostomates with low levels of spousal discussion were more likely to feel emotionally unsupported, socially isolated, have difficulty adapting to their stoma, experience a decrease in spousal affection and sex life, and believe their ostomy affected their life for the worst.
Conclusions
The results suggest that a lack of spousal support can have a detrimental effect on an ostomate’s recovery and reclamation of self-identity. To facilitate this reclamation, it is suggested that healthcare professionals encourage the ostomate’s spouse to have an active involvement in stomal care education and the recovery process.