Addressing Bowel Dysfunction in Men Aging With Spinal Cord Injury

Objectives: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) increases the frequency and severity of bowel problems, especially for those who age with this injury. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a bowel management training program in patients aged with SCI.  Methods: A multiple-baseline single-case design of concurrent type was employed. Three male married patients with SCI whose ages ranged between ۴۸ and ۵۳, with a mean duration of ۳۲ years after the injury, were recruited for this study from a rehabilitation center in Isfahan City, Iran, in ۲۰۲۰. An individualized ۸-week bowel management training program was conducted. The patients’ bowel dysfunction was evaluated by Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction (NBD) score.  Results: The results were provided by the six features of single-case designs, namely immediacy of the effect, overlap, variability consistency of data patterns across similar phases, trend, and level, revealed the efficacy of the program in decreasing bowel dysfunction problems in men aging with SCI. Discussion: Health care providers should know about the changes that might happen as an individual gets old with SCI to take preventive measures and reduce the harmful effects of aging, especially bowel dysfunction.