title: Suffering in silence: a community-based study of fecal incontinence in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fecal incontinence (FI) is a very common problem in women especially among the elderly. Women with FI experience significant physical and psychological disability and lifestyle limitations. This study attempts to estimate FI among community women above 40 years of age and its associated risk factors in Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, via cluster sampling, a total of 800 community middle-aged women were randomly selected and interviewed using a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of FI was 18.4 %. Our findings show that FI was associated with UI, osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FI was a prevalent condition in Iranian middle-aged women. Future efforts should be aimed at screening FI in women, offering services to treat them, reducing personal and complication-related costs, and improving their quality of life.
authors: Department of Human Ecology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran, masialimoham@gmail.com.
authors: Masoomeh
authors: M
authors: Alimohammadian
authors: Batoul
authors: B
authors: Ahmadi
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Janani
authors: Bahar
authors: B
authors: Mahjubi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology