Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40958163›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of school health2025

Insights From a Survey of School Nurses: Assessing the Challenges of Constipation in Schools.

Andrew S Chu, Eric H Chiou

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of school health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Andrew S ChuDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8824-2914
Eric H ChiouDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesSchool nurses are key responders to students with constipation, yet their experiences are underreported. This study surveyed their observations regarding constipation, identified barriers to student restroom access, and assessed educational needs.

methodsIn this descriptive, cross-sectional survey study, an anonymous online survey was distributed to school nurses participating in a virtual education series. The survey assessed nurse demographics, frequency of encounters with constipation and encopresis, school restroom policies, barriers to restroom use, accommodation requests, and training in constipation management.

findingsOf 125 respondents, 95% encountered students with constipation at least monthly and 55% reported ≥ 6 encounters monthly. Commonly perceived barriers to restroom use included unclean bathrooms (48%) and bullying (42%). Half of schools relied on teacher discretion for restroom access; only 37% of nurses were aware their schools had formal policies. While 64% received accommodation requests at least monthly, only 38% had training in constipation management. Most nurses expressed interest in additional education. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Targeted educational interventions and school-wide policy development are necessary to support school nurses and mitigate restrictions that could exacerbate constipation in students.

conclusionsConstipation and encopresis are frequent concerns, particularly in younger grades. Environmental and policy-related barriers may contribute to toileting difficulties. School nurses reported variable communication with providers and the need for further education.

Indexed as

ConstipationSchool NursingAdolescentAdultChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSchool Health ServicesSchoolsSurveys and Questionnairesbowel managementconstipationencopresisrestroom policyschool nursing

Identifiers

PMID40958163
PMCPMC12621158

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.