Self-reported fecal incontinence in a community-dwelling, urban population in southern Brazil

Purpose:To assess the prevalence of self-reported fecal incontinence (FI) in a sample of community-dwelling adults residing in an urban area of southern Brazil. The study also aimed to determine the demographic and clinical factors associated with FI.

Design:This secondary data analysis used an exploratory, descriptive, and cross-sectional design to guide data collection and analysis.

Subjects and setting:Two thousand one hundred sixty-two adults, including 1203 women (55.6%) and 979 men with a mean age of 40.6 years, were randomly selected from 390 census tracts in the city of Londrina (Paraná, Brazil) using a stratified cluster sampling design.

Methods:Subjects were interviewed; the instrument was the culturally adapted and validated Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Bowel Function in the Community. Statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson chi-square test, the Fisher exact test, and forward stepwise logistic regression analysis.

Results:The prevalence of FI was 3.6% (n= 77; women 4%; men 3%); 70.1% (54/77) of the participants with FI reported liquid stool incontinence. Predictors of FI were aged between 40 and 60 years, anal fissure, previous colorectal or urogynecologic surgery, neurological diseases, cerebral vascular accident, and diarrhea or constipation.

Conclusion:Our results revealed prevalence rates smaller than those reported in the Brazilian and international literature. The study broadens the knowledge on the epidemiology of FI in Brazil and the world. These results may be used to guide the implementation of public health policies for the prevention and early diagnosis of FI.