Privacy for defecation and fecal incontinence in older adults

INTRODUCTION: Privacy during defecation is important to individuals and society at large and it has not been studied in older people with fecal incontinence. METHODS: One hundred twenty adults aged 65 years and with fecal incontinence who were either living in their own homes or in a nursing home or receiving care in an acute or rehabilitation elderly care ward were surveyed with a questionnaire that included questions on privacy during defecation. RESULTS: Privacy while defecating was often least achieved in the patients with fecal incontinence living in nursing homes (NH) (n = 7, 23%) but usually was achieved in those living at home (H) (n = 28, 93%) and by some being cared for in rehabilitation wards (R) (n = 16, 53%) or in acute wards (AC) (n = 15, 50%; P <.001). Very few participants with fecal incontinence were aware of leakage (NH: n = 3, 10%; R: n = 9, 30%; AC: n = 9, 30%; H: n = 15, 50%), able to clean themselves (NH: n = 0, 10%; R: n = 2, 7%; AC: n = 5, 17%; H: n = 24, 80%) or had access to patient information leaflets about fecal incontinence (NH: n = 3, 10%; R: n = 4, 13%; AC: n = 1, 3%; H: n = 16, 53%). CONCLUSION: Older people, especially those who are dependent, lack privacy during bowel movements. They are usually unaware of being incontinent of stool and are unable to clean themselves afterwards. Access to information about fecal incontinence is poor.