Abstract
Stoma patients are vulnerable to poor psychosocial health outcomes owing to the loss of an important bodily function and the distortion of their self-image. We used a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life of stoma patients in Hong Kong and to examine the association between self-efficacy and stoma patients' sociodemographic characteristics. Using a convenience sampling method, 96 patients (mean age, 64 years) were recruited from 2 acute hospitals. Significant correlations were found between the Chinese Stoma Self-efficacy Scale and the Chinese Short-Form Health Survey 36 subscale scores (from r = 0.21, P = .039, to r = 0.59, P < .001). Significant positive correlations were also found between the 2 Chinese Stoma Self-efficacy subscales and all 8 of the Chinese Short-Form Health Survey 36 subscales. The results indicated that the self-efficacy and quality of life of stoma patients were correlated. Based on this study's results, self-efficacy is an important factor to consider in the provision of care to stoma patients. Specific interventions to enhance self-efficacy also need to be evaluated for their impact on the quality of life of stoma patients.