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The Financial Impact of Living in Canada With an Ostomy: A Cross-sectional Survey
Kimberly LeBlanc1, Corey Heerschap, Lina Martins
1Kimberly LeBlanc, PhD, RN, NSWOC, WOCC(C), IIWCC, Wound Ostomy Continence Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Association of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Corey Heerschap, MScCH(WPC), BScN, RN, NSWOC, WOCC(C), IIWCC, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Lina Martins, MScN, RN, NSWOC, WOCC(C), London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada. Britney Butt, BScN, RN, MClSc-WH, NSWOC, WOCC(C), North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Samantha Wiesenfeld, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Kevin Woo, PhD, RN, NSWOC, WOCC(C), School of Rehabilitation Therapy/Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to explore how living with an ostomy financially impacts Canadians.
Methods:
A descriptive, pan-Canadian, cross-sectional online and paper-based survey was conducted using a convenience sample.
Results:
Surveys were completed by 467 individuals. Seventy-six percent (n = 355) reported spending more than $1000 annually on ostomy supplies, with 58% (n = 271) paying partially out of pocket. Atlantic regions relied primarily on insurance (n = 81), and the central, prairies, and western regions used a combination of funding (provincial government funding and/or insurance) (n = 385) with no significant out-of-pocket funding differences between regions (χ = 18.267, P = .079). Fifteen percent (n = 70) reported frequent peristomal skin problems, and 19% (n = 89) indicated that having an ostomy negatively affected their ability to work. When experiencing ostomy-related problems, 60% (n = 280) sought assistance from a nurse specialized in wound, ostomy, and continence (NSWOC) and spent significantly less on ostomy supplies (χ = 231.267, P < .001).
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that living with an ostomy may result in financial burden and that Canadian regional variations in funding and access to an NSWOC should be explored.
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