Application of continuous nursing under the health belief model in prophylactic colostomy for rectal cancer

Abstract

Abstract Background: To explore the effects of continuous nursing based on the health belief model on the rehabilitation of patients undergoing anterior rectal resection and preventive colostomy. Methods: From September 2020 to October 2021, 80 patients who met the inclusion criteria for preventive enterostomy were randomly divided into the observation and control groups. Patients in both groups were followed up for 3 months after discharge from the hospital. The control group was given routine follow-ups, and the observation group was given continuous nursing intervention under the guidance of the health belief model. Adaptability to colostomy, colostomy self-efficacy, colostomy complications, quality of life after colostomy, and defecation control ability after colostomy were observed in the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in sex, age, tumor stage, tumor location, or educational level between the two groups (P > 0.05). Three months after intervention, colostomy adaptability and colostomy self-efficacy scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (132.38±8.33 and 101.26±9.4, respectively). The quality of life scores after colostomy in the observation group were higher than those in the control group at 1 month (49.2±6.99) and 3 months (59.85±5.16) after discharge, and the incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was 20% lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The scores of defecation control ability at 1 month (21.25±11.05) and 3 months (17.475±9.808) after colostomy in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Continuous nursing interventions based on the health belief model can improve colostomy adaptability, colostomy self-efficacy, quality of life, and defecation function after colostomy in patients with rectal cancer undergoing anterior rectal resection with prophylactic colostomy.