title: Constipation misperception is associated with gender, marital status, treatment utilization and constipation symptoms experienced.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is essential that clinicians have an understanding of patients' perceptions of constipation as well as constipation mis-perception (CM), which can be defined as failure to recognize the six constipation symptoms (infrequency, straining, hard stool, incomplete evacuation, anorectal obstruction or manual maneuver). The aims of our study were to identify the prevalence of CM and its association with demographics and clinical features.
  
  
  METHODS
  This nationwide survey included 625 self-reported constipated subjects (431 females; mean age, 41.2 years) among random participants in the National Health Screening Program. The prevalence of CM for each constipation symptom was estimated, and the participants were classified into nil (0), low (1-2), mid (3-4) and high (5-6) level CM subgroups according to the number of misperceived symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest rate of CM was observed for manual maneuver (48.3%), followed by anorectal obstruction (38.4%), stool infrequency (34.6%), incomplete evacuation (32.2%), hard stool (27.2%) and straining (25.4%). Among the nil (n = 153), low (n = 242), mid (n = 144) and high level (n = 86) subgroups, there were significant differences in the proportions of males (18.3%, 34.3%, 39.6% and 30.2%; P = 0.001, respectively), never-married status (25.7%, 38.2%, 36.8% and 45.9%; P = 0.030, respectively) and those who did not receive treatment for constipation (41.8%, 47.5%, 58.3% and 66.3%; P < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant linear trend of increasing degree of CM with decreasing symptoms experienced (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CM is significantly associated with gender, marital status, treatment utilization and the range of constipation symptoms experienced.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Digestive Research, Digestive Disease Center, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Hee
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Suck Chei
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Moo In
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University Hospital, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Asan Digestive Disease Research Institute, Department of Gastroenterology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kee Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon Sup
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyan University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Wan Jung
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Kwan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Gangwon-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Biostatistical Consulting Unit, Soonchunhyang University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Constipation, Health surveys, Perception