Unless asked specifically about it, individuals often are reluctant to disclose incontinence - even when talking to their own physician. This reluctance can make it difficult to obtain accurate estimates of the true prevalence of fecal incontinence. Fecal incontinence affects people of all ages. The results, and criteria, from several studies vary in reported prevalence of fecal incontinence. In the United States alone that's 5.5 to 17 million people.
Studies suggest that incontinence contributes to the decision to institutionalize elderly patients.
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