Evaluation of Constipation Risk among Inpatients in Surgery and Internal Medicine Wards

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the risk of constipation among inpatients in the surgery and internal medicine wards. Method: This descriptive study included 251 inpatients being treated in the Ağrı State Hospital between April 2018 and June 2018 who consented to participate. Data were collected using a personal information form and the constipation risk assessment scale (CRAS). Results: The mean age of the participants was 49.74±19.50 years. Analysis of the patients’ distributions according to mean CRAS score and socio-demographic characteristics showed that gender, marital status, education level, and occupation were statistically significant (p<0.05, p<0.01). In addition, when the distribution of the patients according to mean CRAS total score and health status/lifestyle characteristics was examined, statistically significant differences were observed in terms of hospital ward, presence of chronic disease, regular medication use, predominant food group, skipping meals, regular exercise, constipation problem, and constipation risk (p<0.05, p<0.01). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between total CRAS score and age (p<0.01). Conclusion: Older age was associated with more problems with constipation in our study group. Therefore, it is recommended to prevent or solve the problem through constipation risk assessment for inpatients, early diagnosis of constipation, appropriate nursing interventions, and team collaboration.

Keywords

• Constipation
• constipation risk assessment
• constipation care