Fecal Incontinence in Elderly Koreans

OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence and correlates of fecal incontinence (FI) and its effect on quality of life in ambulatory elderly people in Korea. DESIGN Cross-sectional, convenience sample-based survey. SETTING Twenty-seven senior citizen centers and two health clinics in two cities of Korea. PARTICIPANTS Nine hundred eighty-one relatively healthy and ambulatory community-dwelling people aged 60 and older. MEASUREMENTS Data were collected through in-person interviews with a structured questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for FI. RESULTS The prevalence of FI was 15.5%. FI was significantly associated with lower quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Survey) for physical and mental health. In men, FI was significantly associated with urinary incontinence (odds ratio (OR)=4.89, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.45-9.77), hemorrhoids (OR=4.66, 95% CI=1.67-12.97), and poor self-perceived health status (P for trend=.02). In women, FI was associated with urinary incontinence (OR=2.91, 95% CI=1.76-4.81), diabetes mellitus (OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.24-3.37), hemorrhoids (OR=2.99, 95% CI=1.31-6.83), and infrequent dietary fiber intake (P for trend=.02). CONCLUSION FI is prevalent in elderly Koreans and has a profound effect on quality of life. Physicians should closely screen for FI in elderly patients with certain risk factors and evaluate to control these potentially preventable or modifiable factors.