title: Living with digestive stomas: strategies to cope with the new bodily reality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  the objective in this study was to describe the strategies developed by digestive stoma patients to cope with their situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative and descriptive study was undertaken, involving 21 stoma patients living in the provinces of Málaga and Granada (Spain). The informants were selected in accordance with criteria of appropriateness and diversity, through intentional sampling. The data were collected by means of semistructured interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the content analysis revealed three categories around which the distinct strategies were developed: Self-care, Adaptation to the bodily change and Self-help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the strategies developed are focusing on achieving the effective management of the stoma and are closely linked with the achievement of autonomy. Discovering the strategies applied is fundamental for the nursing professionals to offer high-quality care, centered on people and their process.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: Candela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonill-de-las-Nieves
authors.affiliation: Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Andalucía, Spain.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celdrán-Mañas
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hueso-Montoro
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Morales-Asencio
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: Concha
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rivas-Marín
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Portada Alta Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: Magdalena Cuevas
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fernández-Gallego
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003125:Colostomy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult