Relationship between ostomy caregiver skill proficiency and one-month risk of ostomy complications in patients with colorectal cancer: A cohort study

Cui Lin, Fengying Zhao, Hui Chen, Feiyu Wang, Liquan Yang and Yifang Fang

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: : Background Methods: This prospective study enrolled patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery with an ostomy between January 2022 and April 2024 and had no ostomy complications at discharge, together with their designated primary ostomy caregivers. Minimum discharge standards for home care of new ostomy patients were used as the evaluation tool to evaluate ostomy caregiver skill proficiency. The incidence of ostomy complications was followed up one month after surgery. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Cochran-Armitage test, and restricted cubic spline were used for statistical analysis. Results: Of 200 recruited patients and caregivers, 188 (94.0%) were included in the analysis. Ostomy caregiver skill proficiency was evaluated using WOCN consensus-based discharge criteria (range: 7–25), classifying 29 patients (15.4%) as low-skill (≤15), 123 (65.4%) as medium-skill (16–20), and 36 (19.1%) as high-skill (>20). During the first month post-discharge, 66 patients (35.1%) developed ostomy complications, defined as peristomal skin irritation, leakage, pouch-related issues, stoma retraction, or prolapse. Complication rates decreased with higher caregiver skill proficiency levels (75.9%, 30.1%, 19.4%; p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0355620

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0355620

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