Help us Smash Social Exclusion This Stoma Aware Day!
09 September, 2023
Stoma Aware day 2023 takes place on Saturday 7th October and our theme for this year is ‘Smash Social Exclusion’ for people with stomas.
So what is social exclusion and how does it relate to people living with a stoma.
Social exclusion can be defined as ‘The exclusion of part of society from ‘any of the social, economic, political and cultural systems which determine the social integration of a person in society’
Our research shows that for many people living with a stoma in the UK a combination of a lack of suitable toilet facilities, and lack of awareness limits their ability to do many of the things that much of society will take for granted, leading to them feeling socially excluded.
- 62% of respondents believe a lack of suitable toilet facilities impacts on their daily life, limiting their ability to do many of the things we take for granted such as going to the shops, the theatre, or a coffee with friends. This figure is significantly higher than the 20% of the general public that the Royal Society for Public Health reported in 2019, are put off venturing from their homes as often as they would like due to a concern over lack of toilets.
- 25% are also worried about using an accessible toilet having previously been verbally or physically abused for doing so, as their disability/ condition is hidden. This behaviour from others can lead to mental health issues and isolation for the individual
- 22% believe a lack of general awareness of stomas, and the day to day challenges of managing their stoma impacts on their daily life
- 4 % do not go out due to worries about being able to manage their stomas
