Association between psychiatric disorders and constipation: A population-based cross-sectional study

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder that can negatively affect patients' quality of life. Previous studies have reported a higher prevalence of constipation among patients receiving long-term antipsychotic treatment; however, the association between Psychiatric disorders (PD) and constipation remains unclear. This study explored the association between PD and constipation. This cross-sectional observational study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009 to 2010. Psychiatric disorder status was determined based on whether a participant in the NHANES was prescribed antipsychotic medication. Constipation was defined based on the Bowel Health Questionnaire as either self-reporting being "always" constipated during the past 12 months or having both a Bristol Stool Form Scale type 1 or 2 stool and fewer than 3 bowel movements per week. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between PD and constipation after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess this association across different population subgroups. : Our study included a total of 5092 participants aged 20 and above who met the analysis criteria. Among them, 343 participants met the criteria for constipation, corresponding to a survey-weighted prevalence of 5.5%. The survey-weighted prevalence of constipation was 9.6% among participants with PD and 4.9% among those without PD. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, PD were significantly associated with higher odds of constipation (OR = 1.767; 95% CI: 1.151-2.713; P = .024). Subgroup analyses showed statistically significant associations in several population subgroups; however, no statistically significant interactions were observed across the stratification variables. This cross-sectional study indicates a positive association between PD and constipation, providing evidence to inform clinical patient management.