Several studies have indicated that self-efficacy may have profound positive effects on health promotion, clinical practice, and other outcomes, such as patients' satisfaction and quality of life. However no studies on self-efficacy have been conducted in anorectal malformation (ARM) patients. Grano and coworkers analyzed: (a) the relationships between self-efficacy and satisfaction with postoperative care in ARM patients or in their parents; and (b) between self-efficacy, body image, and sexual functioning in adult ARM patients. A total of 237 patients from 2 to 49 years old (mean age = 13.35 years old) participated in the study. Questionnaires were mailed to members of the Italian Association for Anorectal Malformation. All subjects were asked to fill in the questionnaire in which information about the perceived severity of malformation and postoperative care satisfaction was collected. For patients under 16 years old, parents were asked to fill in a questionnaire or a parent self-efficacy scale concerning the perceived ability to overcome possible difficulties related to ARM. Participants above 16 years of age were asked to fill in the questionnaire, a self-efficacy scale, and to respond to some body image and sexual functioning items. The main findings indicate that those patients who feel more efficacious are those who feel less embarrassed and shame about their body, are less frequently unsatisfied of their body and their physical condition, and have the perception to be less limited in their sexual activities. Considering patients under 16 years old; results also indicated that more parents feel efficacious, the more they are satisfied of the postoperative care, especially that of some health care providers.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER: Grano and colleagues concluded that in ARM patients, self-efficacy and parents self efficacy are correlated to important outcomes, such as body image and sexual functioning in adults and postoperative care satisfaction in parents of those under 16 years old.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A PATIENT: Once again, the importance of self-efficacy as the guiding force in the management of a chronic disorder was demonstrated. In this case, the condition was anorectal malformation. It is hoped that others can take the authors’ suggestion and perform longitudinal studies with this disorder.

C Grano et al. Self-efficacy, postoperative care satisfaction, body image and sexual functioning in ARM patients. Pediatric Surgery International, 2008;24:1201-1205.