Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Scand J Gastroenterol. 2024 Oct;59(10):1151-1158. doi: 10.1080/00365521.2024.2392707. Epub 2024 Aug 20.
Anal incontinence (AI) is a distressing condition with grave impact on many aspects of life, including quality of life (QoL), social life and sexual activities. This study explored how AI and bowel symptoms impact QoL in a Norwegian population by (1) describing the psychosocial and sexual consequences of AI, and (2) investigating factors most often associated with AI-specific QoL.
A cross-sectional study among patients with AI referred to hospital outpatient clinics was conducted. A Norwegian version of ICIQ-B was used to measure bowel control, bowel symptoms, sexual impact, and impact on QoL.
A total of 208 persons with AI completed the questionnaire. The results demonstrated that these patients are overall embarrassed, make plans according to the bowels, ensure the presence of a nearby toilet, and many abstain from sexual activities. After adjusting for other variables included in a multivariable model, we found that having bowel accidents on one's mind had the greatest relative impact on QoL, followed by lower bowel control, using more medications to stop bowels, having more pain/soreness around the back passage, lower age, and more straining to open the bowels.
AI has substantial consequences for the psychosocial function and sexual activities of persons with AI. This study indicates that worrying about potential faecal accidents and the social stigma associated with this have greater impact on QoL than actual bowel leakages. Future studies should therefore focus on the emotional burden, patient coping, and health education related to bowel function and AI.
肛门失禁（AI）是一种令人痛苦的疾病，对生活的许多方面都有严重影响，包括生活质量（QoL）、社会生活和性生活。本研究通过（1）描述 AI 和肠道症状对生活质量的心理社会和性影响，以及（2）调查与 AI 特定生活质量最相关的因素，探讨了挪威人群中 AI 对生活质量的影响。
对因 AI 而被转诊至医院门诊的患者进行了一项横断面研究。采用 ICIQ-B 挪威语版来衡量肠道控制、肠道症状、性影响和对生活质量的影响。
共有 208 名 AI 患者完成了问卷。结果表明，这些患者普遍感到尴尬，根据肠道情况制定计划，确保附近有厕所，许多人避免性生活。在调整了多变量模型中包含的其他变量后，我们发现，脑子里想着排便失禁对生活质量的相对影响最大，其次是肠道控制能力较低、更多地使用药物来控制肠道、肛门周围疼痛/不适更多、年龄较低、排便时更费力。
AI 对 AI 患者的心理社会功能和性生活有重大影响。本研究表明，担心潜在的粪便意外以及与这种情况相关的社会耻辱感对生活质量的影响大于实际的粪便泄漏。因此，未来的研究应重点关注与肠道功能和 AI 相关的情绪负担、患者应对和健康教育。
