Use of a self-report constipation questionnaire with older adults in long-term care

Purpose: The Patient Assessment of Constipation (PAC), a symptom and quality-of-life inventory, was developed among community-dwelling adults under age 65. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and validity of an interview format of the PAC for older adults residing in long-term care. Design and Methods: The PAC was administered to 24 nursing home residents aged 65 and older. Cognitive interviewing methods were used to evaluate subjects' understanding and interpretation of PAC items. Results: The PAC interview required an average of 11 min, 15 s, to complete. Administration modifications for this population included rereading Likert anchor points and the stem question for each item. Subject item interpretation was generally accurate, as was interpretation of Likert anchors. Implications: The PAC is easily administered and well understood by older adult residents in long-term care and provides a brief method for obtaining constipation-specific symptom and quality-of-life data from this population.