Constipation risk and the affecting factors in patients treated in the neurology intensive care unit

Constipation Risk and the Affecting Factors in Patients Treated in the Neurology Intensive Care Unit Constipation, defined as infrequent and difficult defecation caused by the decrease in defecation frequency, is commonly experienced in patients and has significant negative effects on their quality of life. The prevalence of constipation in intensive care units ranges from 15 to 83 %; its prevalence in patients with Cerebrovascular diseases ranges between 30% and 60%, and 55% of patients have new-onset constipation after stroke. Constipation is an important complication related to the gastrointestinal system in neurology intensive care unit patients, and as it may cause progression development due to intracranial pressure and even death risk in stroke, intracranial hemorrhage patients, it is very important to prevent constipation in this patient group. The target population of this descriptive and cross-sectional study was all patients who were treated in Çukurova University Neurology Intensive Care Unit (NIC) between June 2018 and June 2019, and the sample was 102 patients who met the research criteria and accepted to participate in the study. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics 24) package programming. Prior to the study, necessarypermissions were obtained from Çukurova University Medical Faculty Ethics Committee, Dean of Medical Faculty, and Head Physician of Çukurova University Medical Faculty Balcalı Hospital. Data were collected through the "Socio-demographic Form", the "Constipation Severity Instrument" (CSI) to identify patients' constipation severity, and the "Constipation Risk Assessment Scale (CRAS) to identify patients' constipation risks. The results showed that 53,9% of the patients involved in the study were female, and their average age was 48,28±16,89. The CRAS total mean score was found low (10,24±3,34). While the CSI total score was 23,60±13,41, Obstructive Defecation sub-scale mean score was 11,65±6,12, Colonic Inertia subscale mean score was 9,27±5,56, and pain sub-scale mean score was 2,68±3,56. CSI and sub-scales total score and CRAS total score were found to be significantly higher in women compared to men. There was a positive, weak, and statistically significant relationship (r=0,256; p=0,009) between the patients' CRAS scores and CSI total scores (r=0,256; p=0,009). No significant differences were found by patients' occupation, income level, place of living, and health insurance in terms of their scale scores. In line with the results of the study, recommendations were made about planning, applying, and evaluating individual nursing care and using valid and reliable scales in diagnosis in order to decrease the constipation risk and the affecting factors in patients treated in the NIC unit. Keywords: Neurology, Constipation, Constipation Risk, Intensive Care, Nurse