Assessment of satisfaction with life, as a result of comparing own life situation with the individualised personal standards, is an important element for measuring satisfaction with life of the patients suffering from somatic disorders. Literature provides numerous data on satisfaction with life of different groups of patients suffering from somatic disorders. Little space is devoted to the study of the level of satisfaction of patients with rectal prolapse, which is particularly evident in relation to the Polish patient population. The aim of the study was planned to determine the level of satisfaction with life and its determinants among patients with full-thickness rectal prolapse surgery as well as to assess the improvement of continence after this surgery.
Material and methods: The study group consisted of 20 patients operated on for full-thickness rectal prolapse in the Department of General and Colorectal Surgery, Medical University in Lódź. SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale) Diener et al. in the Polish adaptation by Juczyński was used to assess global life satisfaction. Assessment of the incontinence severity and the postoperative improvement was made with Jorge and Wexner scale.
Results: The average level of global life satisfaction among patients with rectal prolapse surgery is 21.05 (SD = 4.68) and it corresponds to the level of satisfaction of the total population. In the study group, there were no statistically significant differences in the level of global satisfaction with life depending on age, disease recurrence and continence improvement after surgery. The continence after rectal prolapse surgery improved significantly (p< 0.05).
Conclusions: The most common consequences of rectal prolapse include incontinence of varying severity. The studies give grounds for considering that a rectal prolapse surgery is an effective method of treatment, being conducive to continence improvement in the study group. Rectal prolapse involves also numerous psychosocial consequences. Due to the complexity of the problem, it appears advisable to undertake further empirical studies with the object of identifying the factors influencing life satisfaction of patients operated on for rectal prolapse.