title: Impact of fecal incontinence on quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the impact of fecal incontinence (FI) on quality of life (QOL) of patients attending urogynecology and colorectal clinics (CCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 154 patients (27 male) with FI, who attended the clinics at a regional hospital in North Queensland, Australia in 2003 and 2004, and completed the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQL: 1 = very affected; 4 = not affected).
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 22% of patients had their QOL affected severely by FI. Patients reported that they had not previously been asked about FI by a medical practitioner nor did they voluntarily disclose its presence. The median FIQL scores for all participants were: lifestyle = 3.24; coping = 2.23; depression = 2.42; and embarrassment = 2.33. Increasing frequency of soiling had a negative effect on all four FIQL scales (P < 0.001) as did the quantity of soiling (P < 0.01). Female CC patients had poorer FIQL scores than urogynecology clinic patients for lifestyle (P = 0.015), coping (P = 0.004) and embarrassment (P = 0.009), but not depression (P = 0.062), despite having experienced FI for a shorter period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Failure to seek treatment for FI degrades the quality of patients' lives over time. FI assessment tools should incorporate the quantity of fecal loss.
authors: School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine & Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. lynne.bartlett@jcu.edu.au
authors: Lynne
authors: L
authors: Bartlett
authors: Madeleine
authors: M
authors: Nowak
authors: Yik-Hong
authors: YH
authors: Ho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005242:Fecal Incontinence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011788:Quality of Life; D011793:Queensland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires