The association of fecal incontinence with institutionalization and mortality in older adults
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Fecal incontinence is a growing problem in the aging population. Little is known about the association of fecal incontinence with institutionalization and mortality in community-dwelling older adults. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of fecal incontinence among older adults in Canada and whether it is associated with increased risk of institutionalization and mortality, independent of the effect of potential confounders.
METHODS: This study consisted of a secondary analysis of data from 9,008 community-dwelling participants in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, aged 65 years or older. The measures used in the study are age, gender, self-reported loss of bowel control, cognition, impairment in activities of daily living (ADL), and self-reported health. Outcomes were death or institutionalization over the 10 years of follow-up.
RESULTS: Fecal incontinence was found in 354 (4%) of the 8,917 subjects. Those with incontinence were older, with a mean age of 75.5 years, compared with 72.9 years in the continent group (P<0.001). Fecal incontinence was more common among women (4.7%) than among men (3.0 %), and among people who were single at the time of the study (4.9%) compared with those who lived with partners (3.3%). The prevalence of fecal incontinence in the Canadian population aged 65 years and above at the time of data collection was estimated to be 4%. Although mortality was significantly higher among those with fecal incontinence,…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 8,917 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Understanding the factors influencing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) damage in African smallholder maize fields and quantifying its impact on yield. A case study in Eastern Zimbabwe
- Alarming situation of emerging H5 and H7 avian influenza and effective control strategies
- Livestock and food security: vulnerability to population growth and climate change
- Atmosphere–ocean oxygen and productivity dynamics during early animal radiations
- Characterization of the global distribution and diversified plasmid reservoirs of the colistin resistance gene mcr-9
- The global seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pigs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.