A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge on Prevention of Constipation among Elderly Patients Admitted in Medical and Surgical Wards of a Selected Hospital, Malaysia

Abstract

Constipation is one of the common health problems among elderly. A descriptive study was conducted to assess the knowledge on prevention of constipation among elderly patients admitted in medical and surgical wards of a selected hospital, Malaysia. Data was collected among 80 elderly patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria through face to face interview technique. The findings of the study showed that most of the participants 56(70%) have good understanding about the meaning of the term ‘constipation’. More than 50% of the participants had good knowledge on the importance of exercise, diet and medication for preventing constipation.