Sandler R S, Drossman D A
Dig Dis Sci. 1987 Aug;32(8):841-5. doi: 10.1007/BF01296706.
In order to determine bowel patterns and perceptions of diarrhea and constipation in young adults not seeking health care, we surveyed 1128 young adults about their bowel habits. The mean number of stools varied by race and sex. Whites reported more frequent stools than nonwhites (7.8 vs 6.0 stools per week, P less than 0.0001) and men reported more frequent stools than women (9.2 vs 6.7 stools per week, P less than 0.0001). Milk and coffee consumption differed by race and sex, but did not account for the differences in stool frequency. Subjects were asked to estimate the percentage of the time their stools were normal or abnormal. The median value for normal was 85% of the time; only 3.6% of subjects reported diarrhea greater than 25% of the time, and only 7.3% reported constipation greater than 25% of the time. Subjects most commonly defined constipation as straining and hard stools and diarrhea as loose/watery stools and urgency. Investigators should use race- and sex-specific norms to study individuals who have patterns which deviate from the usual. Investigators and clinicians must also consider definitions used by their subjects.
为了确定未寻求医疗保健的年轻人的排便模式以及他们对腹泻和便秘的认知，我们对1128名年轻人的排便习惯进行了调查。平均排便次数因种族和性别而异。白人报告的排便频率高于非白人（每周7.8次 vs 6.0次，P<0.0001），男性报告的排便频率高于女性（每周9.2次 vs 6.7次，P<0.0001）。牛奶和咖啡的摄入量因种族和性别而异，但不能解释排便频率的差异。受试者被要求估计其大便正常或异常的时间百分比。正常的中位数时间为85%；只有3.6%的受试者报告腹泻时间超过25%，只有7.3%的受试者报告便秘时间超过25%。受试者最常将便秘定义为排便费力和大便干结，将腹泻定义为大便稀溏/水样便和便急。研究人员应使用针对种族和性别的标准来研究排便模式与正常情况不同的个体。研究人员和临床医生还必须考虑受试者所使用的定义。
