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Table 2 Constipation symptoms among residents in 2007 and 2013

From: Constipation and laxative use among people living in nursing homes in 2007 and 2013

 

2007

2013

Odds ratioa

95% confidence intervala

p-valuea

n

2820

1902

   

The resident is constipatedb n (%)

994/2744 (36.2)

697/1763 (39.5)

1.170

1.013–1.350

0.032

The resident has hard stools n (%)

542/2745 (19.7)

383/1783 (21.5)

1.146

0.972–1.350

0.104

It is strenuous to defecate n (%)

562/2753 (20.4)

360/1783 (20.2)

0.985

0.833–1.165

0.860

The resident defecates less than three times per week n (%)

503/2751 (18.3)

388/1778 (21.8)

1.334

1.128–1.577

0.001

  1. aCorrected for sex, age, activities in daily living performance and level of cognitive impairment. bDefined as constipated if one or more of the three questions; (i) “Does the resident have hard stools?”, (ii) “Is it strenuous for the resident to defecate?”, and (iii) “Does the resident defecate less than three times per week?” were answered with a “yes”