Purpose: Constipation is a common complaint among geriatric patients and may result in significant morbidity, especially among nursing home residents. The prevalence of constipation increases with advancing age and may be a result of the aging process, but the exact cause is unknown. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of constipation and to determine risk factors for the development of constipation in a large population of nursing home residents.
Methods: The Minimum Data Set is an assessment instrument used in nearly all Medicare-certified and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities. Nursing home residents who were at least 65 years of age and who had assessments at baseline and at three months were included in the study (N = 21,012). Baseline risk factors were included in a multivariate logistic regression to determine their association with the development of constipation. To allow causal implications, nursing home residents with constipation at baseline were excluded. The variables examined included medications, mobility, comorbid illness, and nutrition.
Results: The mean age (+/- standard deviation) of nursing home residents was 83 +/- 8 years, and the population was 70 percent female and 83 percent white. At baseline, the prevalence of constipation was 12.5 percent (N = 2,627). By the three-month assessment, 7 percent (N = 1,291) of nursing home residents had developed constipation. The factors associated independently with the development of constipation were, in order of magnitude, race, decreased fluid intake, pneumonia, Parkinson's disease, and the presence of allergies. Congestive heart failure and the use of a feeding tube were two factors identified as having a protective effect.
Conclusion: The variables associated with the development of constipation may be used to identify geriatric nursing home residents at risk and to prevent constipation and its potential complications. Further study is needed to demonstrate a causal relationship between the risk factors and the development of constipation.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02237354 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Prevalence and Correlates of Social Isolation Among Older Adults in Subsidized Housing.
Gerontologist
January 2025
School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Background And Objectives: Social isolation is an increasing public health concern. Older residents in subsidized housing may be susceptible to isolation given high rates of chronic illness/disabilities, low income, and living alone. This cross-sectional study examined correlates of social isolation among over 3,000 older adults from nearly 100 subsidized housing communities across the US.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNoncardiac chest computerized tomography scan as a predictor for plaque presence in coronary artery.
Coron Artery Dis
January 2025
Intensive Cardiac Care Department, Ziv Medical Center.
Background: Coronary artery calcium, a marker of coronary atherosclerosis, is often identified on noncoronary chest computed tomography (CT). We wanted to evaluate the correlation between the presence of coronary plaques in coronary artery catheterization and coronary calcifications as shown in noncardiac chest CT.
Methods: A retrospective case-control study consisting of cases (N = 63) and controls (N = 29), aged 18-70 years old, residing in northern Israel and treated in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit of Ziv Medical Center, between January 2020 and November 2022.
Psychological abuse and its influencing factors among home-dwelling older people in Northern China: a cross-sectional survey.
Front Med (Lausanne)
January 2025
Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Background: As the population ages, the subject of elder abuse has become more prominent, with psychological abuse of older people being particularly prevalent. This leads to a higher incidence of anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems among older people, reducing their quality of life, and even jeopardizing their safety.
Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate psychological abuse among home-dwelling older people in Northern China and its influencing factors.
Chronic Kidney Disease Preventive Attitude, Practice, and Associated Factors among Type 2 DM Patients in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
SAGE Open Nurs
January 2025
Nursing Department, College of Health Sciences, Arsi University, Asella, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.
Introduction: Globally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as one of the leading causes of mortality and it is one of a small number of noncommunicable diseases that have shown an increase in associated deaths over the past two decades. Chronic kidney disease affects approximately 50% of patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus (DM).
Objective: To determine CKD preventive attitude, practices, and associated factors among type 2 DM (T2DM) patients attending follow-up in a diabetic clinic at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital.
Aim: The study aim was to investigate the effect of the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake on regular psychiatric outpatient check-ups at Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, Japan.
Methods: We retrospectively collected electronic medical records from January 4 to January 17, 2024, and analyzed data from 656 patients. was used to analyze the association between adherence to scheduled visits and related factors, and the association between inability to attend scheduled visits and self-reported earthquake-related reasons among 84 nonadherent patients.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!