Characteristics Associated With Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Descriptive Correlational Study.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fecal incontinence-specific quality of life and the severity of fecal incontinence and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in adults aged 65 years or older.

Design: Descriptive correlational study.

Subject and setting: The sample comprised 102 participants; their mean age was 73.9 (SD 6.6) years; more than half were women. The study was conducted in the internal medicine and surgical clinics (general surgery, otolaryngology, eye) of Kırklareli Education and Research Hospital, Kirklareli, Turkey, between July 2020 and July 2021.

Methods: The Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (FIQLS) was used to assess fecal incontinence-specific quality of life, and the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI) was used to measure fecal incontinence severity. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of FIQLS, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Results: The average FIQLS score was 72.2 (SD = 18.3), while the mean FISI score was 40.56 (SD = 9.8). A moderate correlation was observed between FIQLS and FISI (r = -0.402, 95% CI -0.55 to -0.22, P < .00), indicating that higher incontinence severity is associated with lower quality of life. In multivariable regression analysis, FISI was retained as the primary predictor, alongside urinary incontinence, marital status, coronary artery disease, and education level. The model accounted for 53.46 % of the variance in FIQLS (R2 = 0.5346), with an adjusted R2 of 0.4946 for FISI.

Conclusions: The severity of fecal incontinence is inversely associated with quality of life among older adults. Urinary incontinence is an additional independent predictor of lower FIQLS. These findings highlight the importance of managing both fecal and urinary incontinence in older adults to improve their quality of life.