Evidence and practice

Preventing, assessing and managing constipation in people with intellectual disabilities

Paul Horan Assistant professor of intellectual disability nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Michelle Cleary Nurse educator, Muíriosa Foundation, Monasterevin, Ireland

Sandra Fleming Assistant professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Jacinta Mulhere Teaching fellow, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Carmel Doyle Assistant professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Eilish Burke Ussher assistant professor in ageing and intellectual disability, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Kathleen Byrne Clinical nurse tutor, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Paul Keenan Assistant professor of intellectual disability nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland

Why you should read this article:

• To recognise the reasons why people with intellectual disabilities may be at increased risk of constipation and related complications
• To enhance your awareness of what is involved in the prevention, assessment and management of constipation in people with intellectual disabilities
• To understand the importance of adopting a holistic, integrated and person-centred approach to address constipation in people with intellectual disabilities

Constipation is a common condition that can have significant adverse effects on people’s psychological well-being and quality of life. Chronic constipation is associated with various burdensome symptoms and may lead to serious health issues, such as faecal impaction and bowel obstruction. People with intellectual disabilities may be at increased risk of constipation for several reasons, including side effects of medicines, suboptimal diet and limited mobility.

This article outlines the causes and risk factors that can lead to constipation in people with intellectual disabilities. It discusses the prevention, assessment and management of this condition, emphasising the need for a holistic, integrated and person-centred approach. The article also uses a fictional case study to illustrate how such an approach could be applied in practice and to demonstrate the role of nurses in addressing constipation in people with intellectual disabilities.

Learning Disability Practice. 23, 5, 17-23. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2020.e2067

Correspondence

pahoran@tcd.ie

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Permission

To reuse this article or for information about reprints and permissions, please contact permissions@rcni.com

Write for us

For information about writing for RCNi journals, contact writeforus@rcni.com

For author guidelines, go to rcni.com/writeforus

Keywords :

clinical - constipation - continence - diet - gastrointestinal - gastrointestinal disorders - learning disability - nursing care - nutrition - professional

Want to read more?

Already have access? Log in

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months

RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:

Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now

Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more

24 September 2020 / Vol 23 issue 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DIGITAL EDITION