The correlation between stigma and adjustment in patients with a permanent colostomy in the Midlands of China

Objective: To investigate the correlation between stigma and ostomy adjustment in patients with a permanent colostomy. Methods: A total of 118 patients (male 81/female 37 with an average age 57.4±15.0) from six grade 3 hospitals of the Midlands of China with a permanent colostomy were recruited. Participants responded to a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic data, Social Impact Scale (SIS) scores to ascertain stigma level and Ostomy Adjustment Inventory (OAI-20) scores to identify the level of psychosocial adjustment. Results: The patients’ average SIS score was (60.7±10.4). The QAI-20 total score was (41.3±10.8). The SIS total score and SIS subscores were negatively related to the total score and subscore of QAI-20 (r=-0.222~-0.537, all P