Functional constipation (FC) is a common health problem in children and a high frequency of consultations among parents of children in outpatient clinics of primary medical and health institutions. Although constipation is not an emergency, it may cause serious complications if not managed properly, which then can affect the quality of life of children and their families.

To understand the capacity of primary-level doctors' diagnosis and treatment in children's FC, and provide a basis for improving primary-level doctors' capacity of diagnosis and management of children's FC.

In July 2020, 130 doctors who had access with children's patients in their daily diagnosis and treatment were selected from primary-level medical and health institutions in Xicheng District, Beijing. A self-designed questionnaire from our research group was administered to the included physicians. The content included awareness of the common symptoms of FC diagnosis for children ≥6 months of age, and the recommended treatment methods, recommended treatment drugs, medication timing and treatment duration for children with FC.

Questionnaires from 108 (83.1%) basic medical doctors were validly returned, including 34 (31.5%) from general practitioners, 30 (27.8%) from pediatricians, 30 (27.8%) from traditional Chinese medicine doctors, and the average monthly outpatient volume with pediatric patients (10.1±4.4) cases was obtained. For the diagnosis of FC in children: when children aged ≥6 months presented with less frequent bowel movements, hard stools, bleeding during defecation, fecal incontinence, difficulty in defecating, and crying symptoms before passing thick stools, 40.7% (44/108) , 39.8% (43/108) , 23.1% (25/108) , 9.3% (14/108) , 39.8% (43/108) , 23.1% (25/108) of the basic medical doctors would consider the diagnosis of FC; 51.9% (56/108) of the physicians considered FC to be diagnosed when two symptoms, including low frequency of defecation and difficulty in defecating, existed simultaneously; according to 25.0% (27/108) of the physicians, FC can be diagnosed when four symptoms including less frequent defecation, hard stools, bleeding during defecation, and difficulty in defecating were present at the same time. For the treatment of FC in children: pharmacotherapy was recommended as the main treatment of choice for FC in children by primary physicians in 37.0% (40/108) ; nonpharmacologic therapy was recommended as the preferred treatment by 63.0% (68/108) of the primary physicians, with 88.2% (60/68) recommending abdominal massage, 85.3% (58/68) recommending a high fiber diet, 82.4% (56/68) recommending toilet training, and 72.1% (49/68) recommending increased fluid intake. Lactulose therapy was recommended by 75.9% (82/108) of the primary physicians; 27.8% (30/108) of the primary physicians recommended combination therapy with microenemas of sodium citrate, sodium dodecylsulfonylacetate, and sorbitol as the rectal treatment, and 64.8% (70/108) of the primary physicians recommended rectal administration when children had particularly difficult bowel movements. According to the basic medical practitioners, the mean time from initiation of treatment to having a positive response was (4.1±2.6) days in children; the mean treatment duration of FC in children by primary physicians was (21.2±4.3) days; 88.9% of doctors believed that the average termination time of constipation treatment was (46.0±9.3) days. When the frequency and/or consistency of bowel movements returned to normal or the patient no longer had discomfort, 88.9% of physicians responded that they would consider discontinuing the treatment.

Although general primary doctors know some methods of diagnosis and treatment of children's constipation, their overall level of awareness still needs to be improved. It is recommended to further enhance the existing primary physicians' awareness and comprehensive management of FC in children, and to develop a comprehensive management model of FC in children in primary health facilities to improve the management level of children's functional constipation, thereby reducing the prevalence and increasing the cure rate.

功能性便秘（FC）是儿童常见健康问题，也是儿童父母在基层医疗卫生机构门诊就诊中咨询频率较高的问题。尽管便秘不是急症，但如果处理不当，可能会引起严重的并发症，进而影响儿童及其家庭的生活质量。

了解基层医生的儿童FC诊疗水平，为针对性提高基层医生的儿童FC诊疗与管理能力提供依据。

于2020年7月，在北京市西城区基层医疗卫生机构中选取在日常诊疗中能接触到儿童患者的医生130例。采用本研究组自行设计的问卷对纳入医生开展调查，内容包括对≥6个月儿童FC诊断中常见症状的认知，以及对儿童FC的推荐治疗方法、推荐治疗药物、药物治疗时机及治疗持续时间等。

108例（83.1%）基层医生的问卷被有效回收，其中全科医生34例（31.5%）、儿科医生30例（27.8%）、中医科医生30例（27.8%），平均每月门诊接触儿童患者（10.1±4.4）例。对于儿童FC的诊断：当≥6个月患儿出现排便次数少、大便坚硬、排便时出血、大便失禁、排便困难、排出稠便前哭泣症状时，分别有40.7%（44/108）、39.8%（43/108）、23.1%（25/108）、9.3%（14/108）、39.8%（43/108）、23.1%（25/108）的基层医生会考虑将其诊断为FC；51.9%（56/108）的基层医生认为同时存在排便次数少、排便困难两种症状时可诊断为FC；25.0%（27/108）的基层医生认为，同时存在排便次数少、大便坚硬、排便时出血、排便困难4种症状时可诊断为FC。对于儿童FC的治疗：37.0%（40/108）的基层医生推荐将药物治疗作为儿童FC的首选治疗方法；63.0%（68/108）的基层医生推荐将非药物治疗作为首选治疗方法，其中88.2%（60/68）推荐腹部按摩，85.3%（58/68）推荐高纤维饮食，82.4%（56/68）推荐如厕训练，72.1%（49/68）推荐增加液体摄入量。75.9%（82/108）的基层医生推荐使用乳果糖治疗；27.8%（30/108）的基层医生推荐联合应用柠檬酸钠、十二烷基磺基乙酸钠、山梨糖醇的微灌肠为直肠治疗方法，64.8%（70/108）的基层医师建议在患儿排便特别困难时进行直肠给药。基层医生认为，患儿开始治疗到有阳性反应的平均时间为（4.1±2.6）d；基层医生对儿童FC的平均治疗时间为（21.2±4.3）d；88.9%（96/108）的基层医生认为，便秘平均平均治疗（46.0±9.3）d可终止；当排便频率和/或稠度恢复正常/患者不再有不适时，88.9%（96/108）的基层医生会考虑停止治疗。

尽管基层医生对儿童FC的诊断和治疗有一定认识，但总体认知水平有待提高。建议进一步提升现有基层医生对儿童FC的认知和综合管理能力，并制定基层医疗卫生机构的儿童FC综合管理模式，以提高对儿童FC的管理水平，从而降低患病率、提升治愈率。