Selected Factors Related to Adaptation among Colorectal Cancer Older Adults with Colostomy

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine the adaptation among colorectal cancer older adults with colostomy and the correlations between selected factors and adaptation to colostomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This correlational descriptive study included 100 older adults with colorectal cancer who had undergone colostomy for one month after being discharged from the hospital. Five questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment statistics, Spearman’s rank order statistics, Kruskal-Wallis statistics, Independent t-test statistics, and One-way ANOVA statistics. RESULT: The majority of participants were young-old adults and their age ranged from 60-88 years old (70.82 ± 8.23). Most participants had a high score of adaptation (153.98 ± 17.04). Ostomy self-care ability and adaptation had a moderate level of correlation with statistical significance of (r = 0.37, p < 0.05). However, age group, functional ability, the type of colostomy, complications related to the colostomy, and social support had no statistically significant correlations with adaptation. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study benefit nurses and healthcare providers to understand adaptation among colorectal cancer older adults with a colostomy. These findings can be used as information to assess the ability to perform ostomy self-care in colorectal cancer older adults with a colostomy. However, promoting ostomy self-care is a concern in the old-old adults (aged 85 and above). They might need help from caregivers.