Association between abuse and neglect with functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome in adolescents

To evaluate the association between violence exposure, abuse, and neglect victimization with functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome in adolescents.

Observational cross-sectional case-control study conducted with adolescents from two public schools in the municipality of Osasco, metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. A self-administered questionnaire validated for Brazilian Portuguese Child Abuse Screening Tools - Children's version (ICAST-C) was used to screen the different types of violence. The definition of functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome was performed using the Rome IV criteria for adolescents. Parents or legal guardians completed the questionnaire for socioeconomic assessment and signed the informed consent form.

265 students aged 11-17 years, 157 females, were evaluated. Functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome were found in 74 (27.9%) of the 265 adolescents. Violence exposure was found in 82.6% of the 265 screened adolescents, physical abuse in 91.3%, psychological abuse in 93.2%, sexual abuse in 12.1%, and neglect in 53.6%. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed an association (p < .05) between functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with violence exposure (OR = 2.77), physical abuse (OR = 2.17), psychological abuse (OR = 2.95), and neglect (OR= 2.31). There was no association with sexual abuse.

Functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome were associated with violence exposure, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect in adolescent students from public schools. No association was found with sexual abuse. Further studies are necessary to investigate the causal relationship between violence and functional gastrointestinal disorders.