title: Prevalence, trends, and risk factors for fecal incontinence in United States adults, 2005-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the prevalence of and trends and risk factors for fecal incontinence (FI) in the United States among non-institutionalized adults from 2005 to 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from 14,759 participants in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (49% women, 20 years or older) from 2005 to 2010 (the FI Severity Index was added in 2005-2006). FI was defined as accidental leakage of solid or liquid stool or mucus at least once in preceding month. Sampling weights were used to obtain estimates for the national population. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for FI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of FI among non-institutionalized U.S. adults was 8.39% (95% confidence interval, 7.76-9.05). It was stable throughout the study period: 8.26% in 2005-2006, 8.48% in 2007-2008, and 8.41% in 2009-2010. FI resulted in release of liquid stool in most cases (6.16%). Prevalence increased with age from 2.91% among 20- to 29-year-old participants to 16.16% (14.15%-18.39%) among participants 70 years and older. Independent risk factors for FI included older age, diabetes mellitus, urinary incontinence, frequent and loose stools, and multiple chronic illnesses. FI was more common among women only when they had urinary incontinence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FI is a common problem among non-institutionalized U.S. adults. Its prevalence remained stable from 2005-2010. Diabetes mellitus and chronic diarrhea are modifiable risk factors. Future studies on risk factors for FI should assess for presence of urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Electronic address: Ditah.ivo@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ditah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Pardha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hopital General Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Henry N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Luma
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hopital General Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Chobufo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ditah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Basile
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Njei
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, Michigan.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaiyeoba
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Augustine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salami
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Calistus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ditah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Wright University, Dayton, Ohio.
authors.forename: Oforbuike
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ewelukwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Clinical Enteric Neurosciences Translational and Epidemiology Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szarka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Fecal Incontinence; NHANES; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Trends