Constipação intestinal e fatores associados em estudantes universitários da área de saúde / Constipation and associated factors in university healthcare students

Introdução: a constipação intestinal (CI) é um sintoma prevalente, caracterizado pela dificuldade de evacuação associada à dor, sensação de evacuação incompleta e fezes endurecidas. Os critérios de Roma III constituem meio acurado de realizar o diagnóstico clínico de CI. Objetivos: Avaliar a prevalência da CI e fatores associados em estudantes de cursos da área de saúde. Metodologia: estudo observacional e transversal com amostragem por estratificação, envolvendo 434 universitários dos cursos de saúde de uma universidade pública. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de questionários com questões sociodemográficas, fatores de risco, Escala de Fezes de Bristol, Escore de Agachan e Critérios de Roma III para constipação intestinal. Resultados: a amostra apresentou média de idade de 21,9 anos (±3,9), 64,3% do sexo feminino. A prevalência de CI pelos critérios de Roma III foi de 14,5%, 92,6% deles de intensidade leve, e mais prevalente no curso de Farmácia (20,4%) e menos nos cursos de Nutrição (10,4%) e Educação Física (9,3%). CI foi autorreferida por 16,6% dos estudantes. A concordância entre diagnóstico de CI segundo Roma III e CI autorreferida foi de 30%. CI teve associação estatisticamente significativa com sexo feminino (p=0,026), ingesta hídrica insuficiente (p=0,004), e inibição do reflexo evacuatório (p=0,0 01). Conclusão: a prevalência de CI segundo critérios de Roma III foi de 14,5%, sendo menor nos cursos de Educação Física e Nutrição. Verificou-se que os alunos constipados foram mais propensos a comportamentos pouco saudáveis e, portanto, a promoção de estilos de vida saudáveis poderia reduzir a constipação entre estes estudantes.

Introduction: constipation is a prevalent symptom, which is characterized by difficulty to evacuate associated with pain, feeling of incomplete evacuation and to hardness of faeces. Rome III criteria are used as an accurate mean to stablish the clinical diagnose of constipation. Objectives: this study aims to evaluate the prevalence of constipation and associated factors in healthcare students from a public university. Methodology: it is an observational and transversal study, with a stratified sampling, involving 434 students from a public university. Data was collected through questionnaires which included sociodemographic information, risk factors, Bristol Faeces Scale, Agachan Score e Rome III Criteria for Constipation. Results: the sample evidenced an age average of 21,9 years (±3,9), 64,3% from the female sex. A prevalence of constipation according to Rome III criteria was of 14,5%, 92,6% of whom had a low intensity disease. It was more prevalent through pharmacy students (20.4%) and less prevalent among nutrition (10,4%) and physical education (9,3%) students. Constipation was self-reported by 16,6% from the students. The concordance between constipation confirmed by Rome III criteria and self-reported was of 30%. Constipation had a statistically significant association with female sex (p=0,026), insufficient water ingestion (p=0,004), and inhibition of defecation reflex (p=0,001). Conclusion: constipation prevalence according to Rome III criteria was of 14,5% and less prevalent among physical education and nutrition students. It was verified that constipated students had unhealthy behaviours more likely than the others and therefore, promoting healthy lifestyles could reduce constipation between those students.

Quality of life, self-esteem and psychosocial factors in adolescents with acne vulgaris

AbstractBackground:Dermatological diseases, among which acne vulgaris, have psychological impact on the affected generating feelings of guilt, shame and social isolation.Objectives:To compare quality of life, self-esteem and other psychosocial variables amongst adolescents with and without acne vulgaris, and between levels of severity.Methods:Cross-sectional observational study in a sample of 355 high school students from the city of João Pessoa. Data collection was performed with questionnaires and clinical-dermatological evaluation. The primary variables were the incidence of AV; quality of life, set by the Children's Dermatology Quality of Life Index and Dermatology Quality of Life Index; and self-esteem, measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. For calculation of statistical tests, we used the SPSS 20.0 software, considering p=0.05.Results:The sample, with an average age of 16, showed 89.3% prevalence of acne vulgaris. The most prevalent psychosocial issue was "afraid that acne will never cease", present in 58% of affected youth. The median score of Quality of Life in Children's Dermatology Index was different amongst students with and without acne vulgaris (p=0.003), as well as the Quality of Life in Dermatology (p=0.038) scores, so that students with acne vulgaris have worse QoL. There was a correlation between the severity of acne vulgaris and worse quality of life. Self-esteem was not significantly associated with the occurrence or severity of acne vulgaris.Conclusions:acne vulgaris assumes significance in view of its high prevalence and the effect on quality of life of adolescents, more severe at the more pronounced stages of disease (p<0.001). The psychosocial impact of acne vulgaris should be valued in the management of patients with this condition.