Defecation disorders: a French population survey

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Functional defecation disorders (FDDs) are prevalent but underreported in population studies.
• Understanding the scope of FDD symptoms, lifestyle impacts, and healthcare utilization is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of symptoms, lifestyle-behavioral changes, and medical care seeking related to FDDs in a large French community sample.
• To quantify the impact of FDDs on quality of life and identify factors influencing healthcare access.

Main Methods:

• A large-scale household community survey involving 10,000 individuals aged 15 years and older.
• A mailed questionnaire assessed ten common anorectal complaints, their frequency, impact on quality of life, and patterns of medical care seeking.

Main Results:

• 29.1% of 7,196 respondents reported FDDs in the past year, with outlet constipation (22.4%) and fecal incontinence (16.8%) being common.
• FDDs were more prevalent in females (63.3%) and significantly impacted quality of life (66.6% for outlet constipation, 85.6% for incontinence).
• Incontinent patients were less likely to seek medical care (67.4%) compared to those with outlet constipation (46.4%).

Conclusions:

• Functional defecation disorders affect approximately 25% of the French population.
• Outlet constipation and fecal incontinence often coexist and are associated with significant quality of life impairment.
• Despite symptom severity, a substantial proportion of affected individuals do not seek medical attention.