P-023 abdominal wall hernia and mental health: patients lived experiences and implications for patient care

Abstract Aim To qualitatively examine how Abdominal Wall Hernia (AWH) affects patients’ mental health. Methods Fifteen patients were interviewed from a purposive sample of AWH patients until no new themes emerged. Interviews explored patient thoughts and experiences of AWH and mental healtth. Data were examinted using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results Three themes pertaining to mental health were identified: “psychological and emotional distress”, “identity disruption” and “coping mechanisms and support systems”. Conclusions This is the first study to qualitatively examine how AWH affects patients’ mental health. Our findings illustrate that AWH is a pathology that can have a significant detrimental impact on people's mental health. This impact has implications for patient care and can be treated and managed through better psychological support. This support may positively affect AWH patient's experience and outcomes in terms of quality of life. We provide recommendations for improved AWH patient care in regards to mental health.