Quality of life in children with defecation disorders compared with healthy

Yang Yang1, Ting An1, Liwei Feng1

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital/ West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Scientific Reports
|March 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Children with defecation disorders experience significantly poorer quality of life across physical, emotional, social, and cognitive domains compared to healthy peers. Caregivers also report frequent negative emotions in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Quality of Life Research
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Defecation disorders in children can impact overall well-being.
  • Limited research exists on the quality of life (QoL) for children with these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the quality of life (QoL) of children with defecation disorders against a healthy control group.
  • To identify specific QoL domains affected by defecation disorders in children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study design was employed.
  • Children with defecation disorders and age/sex-matched healthy controls were recruited.
  • The Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 was used to assess QoL.

Main Results:

  • Children with defecation disorders exhibited significantly lower QoL scores in physical, emotional, social, and cognitive functions (P < 0.001).
  • Nearly half of caregivers reported negative emotions in their children, including irritability, depression, and fatigue.

Conclusions:

  • Children with defecation disorders have a substantially reduced quality of life compared to healthy children.
  • Healthcare providers should consider the psychological, emotional, and social integration aspects when managing children with defecation disorders.

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