WOMEN OSTOMATES: IDENTIFYING APPAREL DESIRES AND BEYOND

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory research is to better understand the apparel needs and desires of perimenopausal women who wear an ostomy bag. The word ostomy comes from ancient Greek which means an opening or mouth (Kilic, Taycan and Belli, 2007, p.1). The United Ostomy Association of America defines ostomy as, “A change in the way urine or stool exits the body as a result of a surgical procedure. Bodily waste is rerouted from its usual path because of malfunctioning parts of the urinary or digestive system.” (What is an Ostomy, n.d.). Having an ostomy may prevent some women from comfortably wearing clothing considered easy or simple to wear by women without an ostomy. The purpose of this research was to identify the apparel needs and desires of perimenopausal women who have an ostomy and wear an ostomy bag. This research explored women’s relationships to the clothing they currently wear, the limitations and challenges they face, the adaptations they had made, and the benefits and drawbacks of current appeal modifications.