Positive correlation of employment and psychological well-being for veterans with major abdominal surgery

Background Intestinal stomas (ostomies) have been associated negatively with multiple aspects of health-related quality of life. This article examines the relationship between employment status and psychological well-being (PWB) in veterans who underwent major bowel procedures with or without ostomy. Methods Veterans from 3 Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers were surveyed using the City of Hope ostomy-specific questionnaire and the Short Form 36 item Veteran’s version (SF-36V). Response rate was 48% (511 of 1,063). Employment and PWB relationship was assessed using multiple regression with age, income, SF-36V physical component summary (PCS), and employment status as independent variables. Results Employed veterans reported higher PWB compared with unemployed veterans (P = .003). Full-time workers also reported higher PWB than part-time or unemployed workers (P = .001). Ostomy was not an independent predictor of PWB. Conclusions Employment among veterans after major abdominal surgery may have intrinsic value for PWB. Patients should be encouraged to return to work, or do volunteer work after recovery

PS3-19: The Association Between Body Mass Index and Intestinal Stoma-Related Problems

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with an intestinal stoma (or ostomy) may have multiple problems related to their stoma. Some evidence suggests that weight change is linked to increased problems with an ostomy. Aim: To examine the association between BMI and stoma-related problems in a sample of long-term (>5 years post-diagnosis) CRC survivors that received an ostomy