Prevalence of Fecal Incontinence in the Acute Care Setting

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Geriatrics
• Hospital Medicine

Background:

• Fecal incontinence (FI) is a prevalent condition impacting patient quality of life and healthcare costs.
• Understanding the prevalence and risk factors of FI in hospitalized populations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of fecal incontinence (FI) in acutely ill adult hospitalized patients.
• To identify associated risk factors contributing to FI in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed across 7 hospitals in the Midwestern United States.
• Data were collected using an investigator-developed tool assessing patient characteristics, FI presence, and associated factors.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of FI was 20% (n=221) among 1083 assessed patients, with hospital-level rates ranging from 16% to 30%.
• Common associated factors included medications (49%), neurologic diseases (40%), and bowel motility disorders (30%).
• Increased age (1.7% higher likelihood per year) and intensive care unit (ICU) management (78% higher likelihood) were significant risk factors.

Conclusions:

• Fecal incontinence is a common and significant issue among hospitalized adult patients.
• Established risk factors for FI were confirmed in this acutely ill hospitalized cohort.