Severity of fecal incontinence in community‐living elderly in a health maintenance organization

Abstract

An anonymous survey containing questions about the severity of fecal incontinence (FI)--frequency, amount, and type--and its correlates was distributed to community-living elderly at four managed-care clinics. Completed surveys were received from 1,352 respondents whose mean (+/-standard deviation) age was 75 +/- 6 years and 60% of whom were female. Approximately 19% reported having FI one or more times within the past year. Incontinence that soiled underwear or was of loose or liquid consistency was most common. More frequent FI and a greater amount of FI were significantly associated with loose or liquid stool consistency, defecation urgency, bowel surgery, and chronic health conditions. Therapies aimed at normalizing stool consistency or reducing urgency may be beneficial in lessening FI severity.

Use of an Absorbent Dressing Specifically for Fecal Incontinence

“…This tendency to leak comparatively low volumes of loose or liquid stool is consistent with other reports. 5,7 Twenty-one percent of respondents with fecal incontinence also had urinary incontinence, which is lower than the nearly 50% reported in older community-living adults. 5,6 The lower rates reported by our respondents may be because of their younger age and comparatively good overall health.…”

“…5,6 The most common type of stool that is leaked is loose or liquid in consistency. 5,[7][8][9] Although the amount of stool that is leaked varies, most people leak a small volume, usually described as enough to soil a pad or their underwear only. 4 Use of an absorbent product such as a panty liner, pad, or brief is a common self-care practice for managing fecal incontinence, especially by women.…”

Considerations for Geriatric Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery

“…Constipation often leads to fecal incontinence in the elderly population, with heavy laxative use producing liquid stool and subsequent overfl ow incontinence around partial or complete impaction [ 31 ]. Other factors independently associated with fecal incontinence include prior bowel resection, prior hemorrhoidectomy, loose/liquid stool, and constant fecal urgency [ 32 ]. Fecal incontinence is increasingly prevalent in institutionalized elders with rates reported over 50 %.…”

Prevalence of faecal incontinence in community-dwelling older people in Bali, Indonesia

“…Some studies reported memory/cognition problems [24], physical disability [25], and functional incapacity [7] as potentially associated factors for faecal incontinence in older people. However, to keep the length of interviews within acceptable timeframes for participants in the current study, data related to these associated factors was not measured.…”