67 3 Patient satisfaction with stoma care and their expectations on mobile apps for supportive care INTRODUCTION It has been estimated that over 750.000 people in the United States have an ostomy.1 In the Netherlands, this number is estimated to be 40.000.2 For some patients, a stoma may improve quality of life. 3 For others, having a stoma may negatively impact one’s self-image and daily functioning, resulting in reduced quality of life.4-6 Coping with a stoma may result in insecurity, leading to various psychosocial problems.7 Patients who are unable to manage their stoma well are at risk of encountering stoma-related morbidities, such as skin irritation, leakage, parastomal hernia, or prolapse, with an incidence varying from 20-80%.8,9 Patients with a high self-efficacy in stoma care had fewer psychosocial problems and stoma-related morbidities.10,11 Hence, tailored patient education and guidance are essential for improving patients’ ability to cope with a stoma and their quality of life. Providing targeted and adequate stoma care can be challenging. Even when a stoma is given in an elective situation with patients receiving proper counselling, they may be unable to retain and replicate the given information due to the shock of having to undergo an operation and the news of getting a stoma. Hence, even if counselling is well done, it is very important for patients to have access to stoma-related information. Several educational stoma care programs have been described in the literature, all of which have shown positive results in terms of psychosocial skills, self-efficacy, and quality of life.12,13 Surprisingly, it is largely unknown whether the current preoperative information routine and stoma care yield sufficient patient satisfaction and whether patients’ needs are met. A mobile application (app) may provide a sustainable solution fitting patients’ individual needs, situations and daily routines, and stimulating self-management.14-16 Apps may offer important benefits, such as personalisation of information, connectivity or monitoring functionalities, wound-care videos, and information availability on a hand-held device. However, understanding patients’ opinions on current stoma care and their specific needs in care and their preferred pathway of information is necessary. Only then, it becomes clear whether there actually is a need for improvement and additional support, and moreover, in what format.
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