Current Perspectives: Fecal Incontinence in Older Adults

Fecal incontinence is an important health issue that has devastating psychological, social and economic consequences for the aging population. However, it is under-reported and under-treated, often because of mistaken assumptions that incontinence is a normal part of aging and that little can be done about it. There are effective treatments that can be easily implemented in the primary-care setting, which can greatly improve an older person’s quality of life and potentially avert premature referral to a nursing home. Therefore, it is important that clinicians screen for the problem and are comfortable with its evaluation and treatment. This article reviews the epidemiology of fecal incontinence, approaches to improving identification and quality of care, as well as the assessment and treatment of the most common etiologies of fecal incontinence.