Prevalence of Fecal Incontinence in the Acute Care Setting.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of fecal incontinence (FI) and its associated risk factors in acutely ill adult hospitalized patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional design was used to collect data at 2 time points in 7 hospitals in the Midwestern United States. An investigator-developed tool was used by trained data collectors to identify pertinent patient characteristics, the presence of FI, and potential associated factors.


RESULTS
The prevalence of FI in the 1083 patients assessed was 20% (n = 221). Prevalence rates from the 7 individual hospitals ranged from 16% to 30%. Medications were the most common associated factor (49%; n = 109), followed by neurologic diseases (40%; n = 89), and bowel motility disorders (30%; n = 67). The majority of patients with FI had stool consistency described as "loose unformed" (59%; n = 130) or "liquid" (25%; n = 55). Many patients had multiple potential risk factors for FI; 48% (n = 107) had 1 associated factor, 37% (n = 82) had 2 associated factors, and 8% (n = 18) had 3 or more associated factors. Age was associated with an increased likelihood of FI; the chances for FI increase 1.7% with each year of age. Unit type was also a significant associated with FI; patients managed in the intensive care unit were 78% more likely to have FI as compared to patients care for in a medical-rehabilitation unit.


CONCLUSIONS
Fecal incontinence is a common problem in hospitalized adult patients. Previously identified risk factors were also found in our sample.
Angela L. Stokes, MSN, RN, CWOCN, CFCN, Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri. Carolyn Crumley, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN, St Mary's Medical Center, Blue Springs, Missouri. Kathy Taylor-Thompson, MSN, RN, CWON, CFCN, Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri. An-Lin Cheng, PhD, Statistics, University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Angela L
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Stokes
Carolyn
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Crumley
Kathy
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Taylor-Thompson
An-Lin
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Cheng
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000150:complications; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors