Abstract:
This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of a patient-centered care program combined with abdominal massage on constipation in hospitalized frail older persons. The study sample comprised 48 participants aged 60 and older, assessed using the FRAIL scale, and admitted to the orthopedic surgical ward at Lerdsin Hospital. Participants were divided into a control group and an experimental group, each consisting of 24 individuals matched by age, pathological site, and risk levels for constipation. The control group received standard nursing care, while the experimental group participated in the care program for eight days. The research instruments included screening tools such as the FRAIL scale, Mini-CogTM, and a Constipation Risk Assessment Form, with reliability verified using test-retest methods, with coefficients of .80, .88, and .87, respectively. The data collection tools comprised a demographic questionnaire and a Bowel Pattern Assessment Form, with a content validity of 1.0 and a reliability coefficient of .76. The experimental intervention included the patient-centered care program combined with abdominal massage, which had a content validity of 1.0. Additionally, the monitoring tool used was a record-keeping form for abdominal massage and bowel movements, also showing a content validity of 1.0. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-tests, with significance set at p < .05. The results revealed that: 1. The hospitalized frail older persons in the experimental group who received the patient-centered care program with abdominal massage had a significantly lower constipation score compared to their baseline, with statistical significance at p < .05. 2. The average constipation scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group receiving standard nursing care, with statistical significance at p < .05.