Risk factors for the development of fecal and urinary incontinence in Wisconsin nursing home residents

Purpose: To determine factors associated with the development of urinary and fecal incontinence in nursing homes. Design and methods: Residents of Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities reported in the Wisconsin annual nursing home survey continent to both urine and stool in 1992 were re-assessed 1 year later for the development of urinary and/or fecal incontinence. Independent variables were elements of the HCFA minimum data set found to be significantly associated with incontinence in cross-sectional surveys of Wisconsin nursing home residents. Results: Dementia and advancing age were consistently associated with the development of incontinence, but the strongest associations were impairment of activities of daily living and the use of patient restraints. Implication: Adjusting for the major reasons to apply patient restraint: dementia, blindness, arthritis and stroke, along with other risk factors for incontinence, the use of patient restraints is the most significant cause for the development of incontinence in nursing homes. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.