Table 2 Characteristics of the included studies
From: The sexuality experience of stoma patients: a meta-ethnography of qualitative research
Study (Publication year/Country) | Setting | Number of participants (Males /Females) | Age range (years) | Type of stoma (n) | Study design | Aim of study | Main results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manderson [32] (2005/Australia) | Participants’ homes | N = 32 (11 M/21F) | 24–82 | Not reported | Unstructured interviews; descriptive qualitative research; thematic analysis | Explore men and women’s experiences of adapting to a stoma | Three themes: Adapting to changes; disguise and discomfort; sex and sexiness |
Ramirez et al. [4] (2009/USA) | Participants’ home, local medical facility, or most convenient location | N = 30 (0 M/30F) | 44–93 | Not reported | Semi-structured, open-ended interviews; grounded theory; grounded theory approach | Explore the experiences related to sexuality among female colorectal cancer survivors with permanent intestinal stomas | Four themes: No long-term sexual difficulties: Long-term sexual difficulties; Age-related changes in sexuality; No partnered sexual experience post-surgery |
Paula et al. [33] (2012/Brazil) | Not reported | N = 15 (7 M/8F) | ≥ 30 | Colostomy (12), ileostomy (2), loop transvers ostomy (1) | Semi-structured interviews; descriptive qualitative research; content analysis | Identify Social Representations of people with intestinal stoma regarding how they experience sexuality before and after the stoma production | Resulting in the thematic unit “Giving new meaning to sexuality” and subthemes: changes in how to experience sexuality after the stoma; new concerns related to the sexual ac; strategies to adapt moments of intimacy; the technique of irrigation and use of intestinal occluder as factors that facilitate the sexual act; the concern about not damaging the stoma; the sexual disorders or dysfunctions resulting from the surgery; the possibility of fully experiencing sexuality despite the stoma and the distance kept form sex as an option |
Cardoso et al. [34] (2015/Brazil) | an available and convenient unit in the private room for participants | N = 10 (6 M/4F) | ≥ 60 | Colostomy (9), ileostomy (1) | Semi-structured interview; descriptive qualitative research; inductive content analysis | describe the experience of sexuality and other everyday life aspects for people with intestinal stoma | Three themes: Physical, emotional, and socio-cultural changes; Changes in the exercise of sexuality of people with intestinal ostomy; importance of the interdisciplinary support of the new sexuality |
Vural et al. [35] (2016/Turkey) | A quiet, well-lightened, and aerated room without a telephone or other distracting technologies | N = 14 (7 M/7F) | 28–56 | Colostomy (7), ileostomy (6), urostomy (1) | Unstructured interviews; phenomenological qualitative design; content analysis | Describe the lived experiences of persons with stomas related to sexual function and perceptions and their expectations of the stoma nurses who care for them | Five themes: changes in sexual life; changes in body image; fear and anxiety experienced during sexual intercourse; psychological impact of sexual problems; and expectations concerning sexual counseling from ostomy nurses |
Kimura et al. [36] (2017/Brazil) | Not reported | N = 56 (56 M/0F) | 20–70 | Not reported | Mixed-methods studies, qualitative and quantitative; individual interviews; Bardin’s content analysis | Analyze the perception of ostomized men due to intestinal cancer regarding sexual relations as an important dimension of quality of life | Five themes: ostomy, self-care, acceptance, self-concept, and companionship |
Sarabi et al. [28] (2017/Iran) | At the park, participants’ homes, airport or in the Iranian Ostomy Association | N = 27 (15 M/12F) | 24–74 | Colostomy (11), ileostomy (10), urostomy (6) | Unstructured interviews; descriptive qualitative research; inductive content analysis | Explore the sexual performance experiences of patients with a stoma and their spouse | Five themes: experiencing sexual problems; patient’s reaction to sexual problems; confronting with consequence of sexual problems; reproductive difficulties and facing with the effects of the menopause |
Kandemir and Oskay [27] (2017/Turkey) | A quiet room | N = 10 (10 M/0F) | Not reported | Urostomy (10) | Open-ended interviews; phenomenological qualitative design; content analysis | Identify experiences, views, and problems of bladder cancer patients with urostomy regarding the effects of urostomy on their and their spouse or partner’s sexual life | Three themes: changes in body image; problems experienced during sexual activity; and receiving help and support in relation to the problems experienced |