Neurogenic bowel management after spinal cord injury: Malaysian experience

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2013

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the bowel programmes utilized by individuals with spinal cord injury; and to determine the association between the outcome of the bowel programmes and various interventions to facilitate defecation. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Participants: Individuals with spinal cord injury who have neurogenic bowel dysfunction. Methods: Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a self-constructed questionnaire that consisted of: (i) demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants; (ii) interventions to facilitate defecation; (iii) bowel care practices; (iv) outcome of the bowel programme (incidence of incontinence and duration of the evacuation procedure); and (v) participant satisfaction with their bowel programme. Results: The majority (79.2) of subjects used multiple interventions for bowel care. Duration of the evacuation procedure was more than 60 min in 28.0 of participants. Water intake of more than 2 l/day was associated with longer duration of bowel care. Only 8.0 of participants had at least one episode of incontinence per month. The majority of participants (84.8) were satisfied with their bowel programme. Conclusion: Patients used multiple interventions to manage their bowels and spent a substantial amount of time performing bowel care. Nevertheless, the incidence of incontinence was low and satisfaction with their bowel programme was high.

Keywords

paraplegia quadriplegia laxatives bowel evacuants incontinence postal survey dysfunction community dietary fiber

Divisions

fac_med

Publication Title

Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

Volume

45

Issue

2

Additional Information

ISI Document Delivery No.: 093GM Times Cited: 0 Cited Reference Count: 24 Engkasan, Julia Patrick Sudin, Siti Suhaida University Malaya P00135/2010B This study was funded by University Malaya Postgraduate Fund; P00135/2010B. Foundation rehabilitation information Uppsala

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS