Quality of Life and Its Determinants in Older Adults with Intestinal Stomas: A Cross-Sectional Study

Assessing the quality of life (QoL) of older adults with intestinal stomas is crucial to understanding the impact of body image and lifestyle changes in this often-underrepresented population. This study aims to evaluate the QoL of older adults with intestinal stomas and analyze the influence of sociodemographic and clinical factors on different QoL domains. This cross-sectional study analyzed the QoL of 47 older adults with intestinal stomas, using the City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire (COHQOL-OQ). Data were collected from the outpatient Orthotics and Prosthetics Program and analyzed using R software (version 4.3.1). The majority of participants were male (59.6%), with a mean age of 68.8 ± 5.6 years. Cancer was the leading cause of stoma creation (70.2%), with 83.0% having colostomies and 57.4% permanent stomas. The overall QoL score was 6.71 ± 1.64, with the lowest scores in the physical well-being domain (6.21 ± 2.31) and the highest in the spiritual well-being domain (7.91 ± 1.73). Significant associations were found between QoL and type of ostomy (p = 0.008), self-managed pouch changes (p = 0.050), and physical activity (p = 0.034). The study highlights the importance of autonomy and targeted interventions, including physical activity programs and psychoeducational support, to enhance QoL in this population. The findings provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals and policymakers, contributing to the development of evidence-based interventions for older adults with stomas.