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Related Experiment Videos

Constipation: what does the patient mean?

V Moore-Gillon

    Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
    |February 1, 1984
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Many patients define constipation solely by infrequent bowel movements, overlooking difficulty or pain. This common misunderstanding highlights a gap in patient-provider communication regarding constipation symptoms and definitions.

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    Area of Science:

    • Gastroenterology
    • Patient Perception
    • Medical Communication

    Background:

    • Constipation is a prevalent gastrointestinal complaint.
    • Lack of a universal definition leads to patient-physician misunderstandings.
    • Patient perspectives on constipation are crucial for effective management.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate patient-derived definitions of constipation.
    • To identify factors influencing patient understanding of constipation.
    • To explore the discrepancy between patient beliefs and behaviors regarding bowel regularity.

    Main Methods:

    • A questionnaire was administered to 287 hospital patients.
    • The survey assessed patient understanding of constipation frequency, difficulty, and pain.

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  • Data were analyzed to compare definitions across demographic groups.

    • Main Results:

    • Nearly half of patients defined constipation solely by bowel movement frequency.
    • Women were more likely to report infrequent bowel actions than men.
    • Men were more likely to perceive infrequency as harmful but less likely to act on it.
    • A quarter of patients believed in regular purgation, with no age-related difference in attitude.

    Conclusions:

    • Patient definitions of constipation are often narrow, focusing primarily on frequency.
    • Gender influences both the perception and reporting of constipation symptoms.
    • A significant portion of patients advocate for purgation, yet adherence varies, particularly among men.
    • Addressing definitional discrepancies is essential for improving patient-provider communication and constipation management.