Psychosocial Impact of a Young Adult Undergone a Permanent Colostomy Caused by a Perineal Injury following a Road Traffic Accident: A Case Report

Abstract

Many traumatic injuries to the perineal area cause to live with colostomies throughout the lifetime of a person. Living with a permanent colostomy brings severe changes to the patient’s life in terms of physical, social, spiritual, sexual, and psychosocial health. The aim of the present study was to explain the importance of understanding the psychosocial aspects of a young adult during a hospital stay with a permanent colostomy. This is a qualitative case study based on interpretive phenomenology. Interviews and direct observations were conducted as the data collection methods to obtain in-depth information regarding the case study topic and gathered data through patient direct observation. The study was about a 28-year-old male engineer who met with a road traffic accident that severely damaged his perineal area and finally undergone a permanent colostomy due to loss of anal sphincter muscles and anal opening. The data analysis was performed by the method of content analysis. This incident was a huge psychological disaster for him to accept the reality and adjust his permanent colostomy. Young people may have profoundly negative impacts on permanent colostomies. Adaptation is a long-term process that requires effective communication, acceptance and understanding. Nurses should be vigilant to do careful assessment on psychosocial needs of patients with permanent colostomies in order to improve the quality of their lives. Therefore, it is suggested that the nurses should acquire specialized knowledge, skills, and training on stoma care in order to provide personalized holistic care to the patients who have undergone permanent colostomies.