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

Purpose: The Patient Assessment of Constipation (PAC), a symptom and qualit y-of-life inventory, was developed among community-dwelling adults under ag e 65. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and validit y 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 resid ents aged 65 and older. Cognitive interviewing methods were used to evaluat e 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 genera lly accurate, as was interpretation of Likert anchors. Implications: The PA C is easily administered and well understood by older adult residents in lo ng-term care and provides a brief method for obtaining constipation-specifi c symptom and quality-of-life data from this population.