Constipation in hospitalized patients: prevalence and associated factors

The study aimed to identify and to analyze the prevalence of constipation and sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with their occurrence in hospitalized patients. This is an observational, cross-sectional, analytical and descriptive epidemiological study, where the study sample consisted of 345 adult and elderly patients hospitalized at a University Hospital. The data were collected through interviews, physical examination and medical records. The prevalence was obtained in a single day in four consecutive months (point-prevalence).This study considered as constipated the patients who met two or more Rome III Criteria. Data were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher tests for categorical variables, t-student and Mann-Whitney tests for numerical variables, and logistic regression for the identification of associated factors. P<0.05 was used for statistical significance, except for regression analysis variables insertion (p<0.1); 95% Confidence Interval was also analyzed.Results: the sample was characterized by women (194 / 56.3%) and Caucasians (165 / 47.8%); mean age of 48.9 years (SD = 21.2). The constipation prevalence was 14.9% (51/ 345), 15% (29/345) for women and 14.7% (22/ 345) for men. Among the constipated patients, 19 (37.3%) reported that the problem had started during hospitalization. There were statistically significant differences between the groups with and without constipation for the following variables: study years (p=0.028), diarrhea (p<0.001) and pelvic or abdominal radiotherapy (p<0.001). For women, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups with and without constipation for any variable, while for men, the only variable that emerged with a statistically significant difference between the groups with and without constipation was sexual impotence (p<0.001) .In the regression model, the variables that appeared associated with constipation were: years of study and use of laxatives.