Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia
Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, symptoms and factors associated with chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four selected health clinics using stratified...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universitas Indonesia
2019
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/1/PUBLISHED_Chronic%20constipation%20among%20community-dwelling%20older%20people%20in%20the.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848788344133124096 |
|---|---|
| author | Abdul Wahab, Patimah Abdul Kadir, Azidah Lee, Yeong Yeh Ali, Siti Hawa Mohd Yusoff, Dariah |
| author_facet | Abdul Wahab, Patimah Abdul Kadir, Azidah Lee, Yeong Yeh Ali, Siti Hawa Mohd Yusoff, Dariah |
| author_sort | Abdul Wahab, Patimah |
| building | IIUM Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, symptoms and factors associated with chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four selected health clinics using stratified cluster sampling. A face-to-face interview was carried out among the elderly outpatients, in order to complete a structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 400 participants were included in the study. The mean age was 68.7 ± 6.4, and 55% of the cohort were women. The prevalence of chronic constipation was 32.3% among the sample population. The most common symptom was ‘sensation of incomplete evacuation’ (63.6%), and none of the participants reported having ‘less than three defecations per week’, ‘straining’, or ‘lumpy or hard stool’. Educational level (p = 0.005), number of defecations per week, stool form, time spent for defecation and abdominal bloating were significantly associated with chronic constipation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Chronic constipation was common in older people and associated with a low educational level. Recognition of symptoms was predominantly based on clinical features of constipation and will require the healthcare providers to consider these factors in their routine assessment of older people. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T17:39:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | iium-76803 |
| institution | International Islamic University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T17:39:20Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Universitas Indonesia |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | iium-768032020-01-09T09:11:04Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/ Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia Abdul Wahab, Patimah Abdul Kadir, Azidah Lee, Yeong Yeh Ali, Siti Hawa Mohd Yusoff, Dariah R Medicine (General) Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, symptoms and factors associated with chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four selected health clinics using stratified cluster sampling. A face-to-face interview was carried out among the elderly outpatients, in order to complete a structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 400 participants were included in the study. The mean age was 68.7 ± 6.4, and 55% of the cohort were women. The prevalence of chronic constipation was 32.3% among the sample population. The most common symptom was ‘sensation of incomplete evacuation’ (63.6%), and none of the participants reported having ‘less than three defecations per week’, ‘straining’, or ‘lumpy or hard stool’. Educational level (p = 0.005), number of defecations per week, stool form, time spent for defecation and abdominal bloating were significantly associated with chronic constipation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Chronic constipation was common in older people and associated with a low educational level. Recognition of symptoms was predominantly based on clinical features of constipation and will require the healthcare providers to consider these factors in their routine assessment of older people. Universitas Indonesia 2019-12 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/1/PUBLISHED_Chronic%20constipation%20among%20community-dwelling%20older%20people%20in%20the.pdf Abdul Wahab, Patimah and Abdul Kadir, Azidah and Lee, Yeong Yeh and Ali, Siti Hawa and Mohd Yusoff, Dariah (2019) Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. Makara Journal of Health Research, 23 (3 ( December )). pp. 170-175. ISSN 2356-3664 E-ISSN 2356-3656 https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1171&context=mjhr 10.7454/msk.v23i3.1171 |
| spellingShingle | R Medicine (General) Abdul Wahab, Patimah Abdul Kadir, Azidah Lee, Yeong Yeh Ali, Siti Hawa Mohd Yusoff, Dariah Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia |
| title | Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia |
| title_full | Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia |
| title_short | Chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia |
| title_sort | chronic constipation among community-dwelling older people in the east coast region of peninsular malaysia |
| topic | R Medicine (General) |
| url | http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/76803/1/PUBLISHED_Chronic%20constipation%20among%20community-dwelling%20older%20people%20in%20the.pdf |