[Evaluation of the quality of life in patients with stomas]

During the past five years in the Czech republic marked improvement of care as regards patients with stomas was achieved and thus also improvement of the quality of their life. The author made a survey, using questionnaires, among patients with stomas operated at the author's department. About half the patients in productive age returned to their jobs, sexual life was discontinued only in one third of the patients under 60 years of age. As regards social life, sports and travel activities in these spheres increased by 9-15%, as compared with a similar survey made in 1990 in the same department. 75% of the patients with stomas consider the stoma bearable. Lack of care of stoma patients involves in particular poor information on the patient's part during the perioperative period and as regards the social sphere.