Enhancing Self-Care Confidence Among Colorectal Cancer Patients: Insights From Postoperative Experiences

Enabling patients to participate more actively in their health through better access to information is central to good medical practice. This project seeks to bridge existing gaps in patient knowledge regarding postoperative care after colorectal cancer surgery by introducing strategies aimed at enhancing the overall recovery experience.

We conducted an electronic survey to gather feedback from patients who were surgically managed for colorectal cancer at a single centre between January and September 2023. Using a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being the best score), we enquired about their experience with the education they received in the following five areas: pain management, stoma care, wound management, dietary advice, and contacting their surgical team. We also asked about their preferences regarding the form of delivery for post-discharge information. Our multidisciplinary team developed a physical leaflet delivered alongside a face-to-face discussion. This intervention was implemented for patients undergoing surgery between March and May 2024, and two post-intervention surveys were conducted to evaluate their experience: one day before discharge and two weeks later.

A total of 33 feedback forms were obtained prior to the intervention, while 15 forms were collected from the post-intervention group. Overall, most participants rated their experience above a score of seven out of 10 in all five domains before the intervention (BI) and above a nine out of 10 after the intervention (AI). The calculated mean value for stoma care was 8.73 ±0.712 (BI, confidence interval (CI) 95%, n=19) vs. 9.33 ±0.354 (AI, CI 95%, n=15); pain management was 8.72 ±0.608 (BI, CI 95%, n=31) vs. 9.27 ±0.391 (AI, CI 95%, n=15); wound management was 8.06 ±0.836 (BI, CI 95%, n=30) vs. 9.33 ±0.354 (AI, CI 95%, n=15); dietary advice was 7.20 ±1.018 (BI, CI 95%, n=29) vs. 9.20 ±0.331 (AI, CI 95%, n=15); and contacting their surgical team was 8.25 ±0.709 (BI, CI 95%, n=32) vs. 9.40 ±0.331 (AI, CI 95%, n=15). Data are represented as absolute percentages and mean ± SEM (standard error of the mean). When asked whether receiving psychological support during their cancer journey would be beneficial, before the intervention group, 61.3% (n=19) of the 31 respondents answered positively. Within this group, the majority of patients (n=28, 87.5%) expressed a preference for face-to-face advice following discharge, with fewer opting for electronic instructions (n=14, 43.8%), leaflets (n=13, 40.6%), phone advice (n=6, 18.8%), or online videos (n=5, 15.6%). Following the intervention, all 15 respondents in the final survey reported that the leaflet helped address most of their concerns prior to discharge. They also agreed that it covered key aspects of their post-surgical recovery and enhanced their overall recovery experience.

Effective communication is a key aspect in the healthcare environment for reducing stress and improving understanding. By offering tailored educational support, clinicians can help colorectal cancer patients feel more confident, supported, and autonomous during recovery.