title: Managing fecal incontinence: self-care practices of older adults.
abstract: Little is known about the ways in which community-dwelling elderly individuals manage fecal incontinence (FI) in their daily lives. In this study, community-dwelling elderly individuals were surveyed at clinics of a health maintenance organization (HMO) to describe the self-care practices used to manage FI and to examine factors that influenced the number of self-care practices used and the reporting of FI to a health care practitioner. Responses of 242 elderly individuals who reported that they had FI several times per year were analyzed. The self-care practices used most commonly were changing diet, wearing a sanitary pad/brief, and reducing activity or exercise. Elderly women and those with a greater severity of FI and more chronic health problems engaged in more self-care practices. Factors associated with reporting FI to a clinician were considering FI to be a problem, uncertainty about the cause of FI, and changing diet to avoid FI. There is a need to promote effective management strategies for FI to older individuals living in the community.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Donna Zimmaro
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Bliss
authors.forename: Lucy Rose
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Savik
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D041382:Diapers, Adult / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016496:Incontinence Pads / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*