The Impact of Home-Based Colostomy Care Interventions in Parents of Children With Colostomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction

Intestinal stomas are elective or life-saving surgical procedures performed for various medical reasons. A colostomy is an opening created in the large intestine to divert fecal flow away from an obstructed region, and it is sometimes required in children. This review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the colostomy care knowledge and skills of parents of children living with a colostomy.

Method

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A comprehensive literature search was performed across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, ClinicalKey, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently conducted data extraction and assessed the risk of bias; discrepancies between these reviewers were referred to the third author. For each study, mean differences and corresponding weights were calculated using the standardized mean difference (SMD), adjusted for the standard deviation. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models, and statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic.

Result

A total of six studies were included for systematic review and meta-analysis, representing diverse populations from various countries. The sample sizes of primary studies ranged from 30 to 100 participants, with parents aged between 21 and 40 years. Geographically, India reported five studies, followed by Egypt with four and Iran with one study. The meta-analysis indicated that colostomy care education intervention significantly enhanced the knowledge and practice skills of parents by 5.2 times and 3.07-fold.

Conclusion

This review highlights the significant impact of colostomy care education interventions on parents, enabling them to provide independent colostomy care in their home settings. These findings underscore the need for stakeholders, policymakers, and healthcare professionals to ensure that primary caregivers receive comprehensive education on home-based colostomy care prior to hospital discharge.