title: Treating Fecal Incontinence: An Unmet Need in Primary Care Medicine.
abstract: Fecal incontinence affects up to 36% of primary care patients. Although effective treatments are available, doctors rarely screen for this condition and patients seldom volunteer complaints of fecal incontinence. Conservative management yields 60% improvement in symptoms and continence in 20% of patients. Referrals are currently being accepted for studies seeking to improve case detection and to support conservative management or self-care.
authors.affiliation: professor of medicine and director, Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina William_Whitehead@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.affiliation: professor of medicine, Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Olafur S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Palsson
authors.affiliation: visiting scientist, Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; professor of medicine, Institute of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simren
mesh_terms: D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors