Constipation in children: an epidemiological study in Sri Lanka using Rome III criteria

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 97; no. 1; pp. 43 - 45
• Main Authors: Rajindrajith, Shaman, Devanarayana, Niranga Manjuri, Adhikari, Chandralatha, Pannala, Waruni, Benninga, Marc A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01-01-2012; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Distribution; Age groups; Biological and medical sciences; Care and treatment; Child; Child health; Children; Chronic Disease; Constipation; Constipation - complications; Constipation - epidemiology; Constipation - genetics; Correlation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Defecation; Epidemiologic Methods; Families & family life; Family Characteristics; Family Size; Female; Followup Studies; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; General aspects; Genetics; Health aspects; Humans; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Native Language; Other diseases. Semiology; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Regression (Statistics); Regression analysis; Research Assistants; Schools; Sex Distribution; Sri Lanka - epidemiology; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Unemployment; Urban Health - statistics & numerical data; Urban Schools; War; Warfare; Asia; Sri Lanka; Human; Pediatrics; Criterion; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Constipation; Child; Epidemiology; Public health
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.2009.173716

Constipation is a common paediatric problem, but its prevalence in Asia is unknown. A cross-sectional survey using a previously validated, self-administered questionnaire was conducted in randomly selected children aged 10–16 years, in five randomly selected schools in Sri Lanka. Two schools were in Eastern Province, which has been affected by the separatist war. Constipation was defined using Rome III criteria. Of 2694 children included in the analysis, 416 (15.4%) had constipation. Symptoms independently associated with constipation were straining (71.6% vs 28.4% of controls), bleeding per rectum (14.2% vs 2.2%) and abdominal pain (55% vs 35.2%). The prevalence of constipation was significantly higher in those with a family history of constipation (49% vs 14.8%), living in a war affected area (18.1% vs 13.7%) and attending an urban school (16.7% vs 13.3%). In conclusion, chronic constipation is a significant problem affecting 15% of Sri Lankan school children and adolescents.