Constipation in community-dwelling elders: prevalence and associated factors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of constipation in community-dwelling elders and to analyze associated factors.

Subjects And Setting: The study sample comprised 186 elders from 5 Senior Citizen Centers in Jeju-si.

Design: This community-based cross-sectional study used a structured questionnaire to collect data via interviews with respondents.

Methods: Interviews were completed by the principal investigator and an assistant. Interviews required approximately 20 minutes and were completed in the senior centers. Respondents were queried about demographic characteristics, body mass index, alcohol consumption, level of exercise, depression, and lower urinary tract symptoms including urinary incontinence. Bowel elimination symptoms were queried, and the presence of constipation was established using Rome II criteria. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test for associations between potential risk factors and constipation.

Results: The prevalence of constipation in this community-dwelling sample population was 25.8%. The most common symptoms were "hard or lumpy stools" reported by 30.8% and "straining during a bowel movement" reported by 27.1%. Analysis via logistic regression found that constipation is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (odds ratio = 1.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.14) and obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m) (odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-5.57).

Conclusions: Slightly more than one quarter of the elderly reported symptoms of constipation. Associated factors were presence of lower urinary tract symptoms and obesity.