Quality of life in colorectal cancer patients with diarrhoea after surgery: a longitudinal study

Aims and objectives. The purposes of this study were to examine how quality of life in colorectal cancer patients with diarrhoea changes with time after surgery and to identify variables influencing patients’ quality of life three months following surgery. Backgrounds. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Literature that focuses on the impact of the basic attributes, disease characteristics and diarrhoea distress on the quality of life in diarrhoea patients is quite rare. Design. Survey. Methods. A longitudinal study design was employed with a three‐month tracking period. Data were collected in structured, one‐on‐one interviews at one week and one, two and three months after surgery. Variance and effects of quality of life were analysed by repeated‐measures analysis of variance and generalised estimating equation. Results. Results showed that colorectal cancer patients (n = 35) with diarrhoea after surgery will over time be gradually satisfied with their overall quality of life. Physical health satisfaction is lowest at 1 week after surgery, and it will over time gradually increase. Satisfaction with mental health has the lowest score and does not improve with time. Satisfaction with social relationships is highest between one week and two months after surgery. Satisfaction of environmental relationship will improve with time after surgery. The study results also indicate that patients with lower quality of life satisfaction are younger, women, have had R hemicolectomy and experience higher diarrhoea distress. Conclusions. Colorectal cancer patients with diarrhoea after surgery will become more satisfied with their overall quality of life with time. Physical and environmental satisfaction will all improve with time. Younger patients will be more dissatisfied with their social and environmental health. More severe diarrhoea distress will impact patients’ quality of life the most. Relevance to clinical practice. These results can serve as reference for clinical care providers to patients with colorectal cancer after surgery.