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Urinary and Faecal Incontinence: Point Prevalence and Predictors in a University Hospital

Marie Condon1,2, Edel Mannion3, D William Molloy4

  • 1Frailty Service, Department of Geriatric and Stroke Medicine, University Hospital Galway, Newcastle Rd, Galway City H91 YR71, Ireland. marie.condon1@hse.ie.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|January 16, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Urinary (UI) and faecal incontinence (FI) are prevalent in hospitals, affecting 26% and 11% of inpatients, respectively. Frailty, not age, independently predicts incontinence, yet few patients receive assessments.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Urology
  • Hospital Medicine

Background:

  • Urinary (UI) and faecal incontinence (FI) are common, leading to adverse outcomes.
  • There is a lack of data on the point prevalence of incontinence in hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the point prevalence of UI and FI among inpatients in an acute university hospital.
  • To identify predictors of UI and FI in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A single-day point prevalence study involving 435 inpatients.
  • Continence status assessed using the modified Barthel Index (BI).
  • Data collected on baseline characteristics, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and ward type.

Main Results:

  • The point prevalence of UI was 26%, and FI was 11%.
  • Incontinence increased with age and frailty (CFS scores independently associated with UI and FI).
  • Baseline continence status was the strongest predictor; orthopaedic wards had the highest prevalence. Only 2% of patients had continence assessments.

Conclusions:

  • UI and FI are highly prevalent in hospitalized patients, increasing with age and frailty.
  • Despite high prevalence, continence assessments are infrequent.
  • Increased awareness is needed for adequate hospital incontinence management.

Keywords:
faecalhospitalincontinenceinpatientprevalenceurinary

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