Stigma and its influencing factors among Chinese patients with stoma

Although stomas are necessary for disease treatment, they unavoidably affect patients' lives from physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and familial perspectives and contribute to feelings of embarrassment and shame. This study explored the current status and factors influencing stigma among Chinese patients with stoma.

A total of 209 patients with stoma at the stoma clinic of a tertiary cancer centre in Guangzhou, China, were recruited and investigated by using the Social Impact Scale, the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale, the State Self-Esteem Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify the factors influencing stigma.

The mean Social Impact Scale score was 69.65 ± 13.18, which represents a moderate effect; specifically, 44% of the patients experienced high levels of stigma. Stoma patients with the following characteristics had high levels of stigma: young, low coping self-efficacy, low stoma acceptance by one's spouse or other family members, poor perceived body image, stool leakage, and no experience of participating in activities with other stoma patients.

Medical staff members should pay more attention to stigma in stoma patients. Coping self-efficacy, family members' acceptance of the stoma, and participation in activities with other stoma patients are influencing factors that protect these patients against stigma, whereas body image loss and stool leakage place them at higher risk for stigma. Interventions aimed at improving protective factors and decreasing risk factors should be considered to reduce the level of stigma in patients with stoma.