Impact of fecal incontinence on quality of life

Table 3 Association of descriptive FI with FIQL of patients attending CCs and UCs in North Queensland

Categorical variables	Scale 1: lifestyle1			Scale 2: coping1			Scale 3: depression1			Scale 4: embarrassment1
	n(missing)	Median (IQR)2	P value	n(missing)	Median (IQR)2	P value	n(missing)	Median (IQR)2	P value	n(missing)	Median (IQR)2	P value
Frequency of fecal soiling (seven cases not stated)
Daily	24 (1)	2.10 (1.33-2.91)	< 0.001a	24 (1)	1.33 (1.18-1.83)	< 0.001a	23 (2)	1.71 (1.37-2.29)	< 0.001a	23 (2)	1.46 (1.00-2.07)	< 0.001a
Weekly	31 (4)	3.10 (2.40-3.60)		32 (3)	2.26 (1.47-2.82)		30 (5)	2.54 (2.06-3.08)		30 (5)	2.33 (1.33-3.00)
Monthly	18 (4)	3.30 (2.60-3.70)		18 (4)	2.14 (1.94-2.82)		19 (3)	2.29 (1.77-3.38)		19 (3)	2.33 (2.00-3.33)
Less often	48 (17)	3.70 (2.85-4.00)		54 (11)	2.88 (2.15-3.57)		52 (13)	3.02 (2.19-3.66)		50 (15)	3.00 (2.33-4.00)
Type of fecal soiling (eight cases not stated)
Liquid	59 (16)	3.26 (2.50-3.80)	0.077a	64 (11)	2.44 (1.78-3.11)	0.024a	62 (13)	2.78 (2.14-3.57)	0.005a	62 (13)	2.67 (2.00-3.67)	0.003a
Solid	24 (7)	3.37 (2.60-3.93)		27 (4)	2.33 (1.63-3.22)		27 (4)	2.64 (2.09-3.50)		25 (6)	2.33 (1.83-3.67)
Both	35 (5)	3.00 (1.50-3.70)		38 (2)	2.00 (1.26-2.50)		37 (3)	2.19 (1.60-2.57)		36 (4)	2.00 (1.33-2.67)
Quantity of fecal soiling (four cases not stated)
Minimal soiling	65 (18)	3.60 (3.00-4.00)	< 0.001a	71 (12)	2.67 (2.17-3.40)	< 0.001a	69 (14)	2.80 (2.20-3.61)	0.001a	69 (14)	2.67 (2.00-3.67)	0.010a
Major soiling	41 (11)	3.00 (2.06-3.55)		46 (6)	2.06 (1.44-2.58)		45 (7)	2.27 (1.89-2.92)		43 (9)	2.32 (2.00-3.00)
Soiling outer clothes	8 (1)	2.12 (1.63-2.45)		8 (1)	1.28 (1.14-1.46)		8 (1)	2.00 (1.72-2.59)		7 (2)	1.67 (1.33-2.33)
Soiling furniture	5 (1)	1.30 (1.25-1.95)		5 (1)	1.00 (1.00-2.14)		5 (1)	1.37 (1.19-2.28)		5 (1)	1.00 (1.00-2.67)
Fecal urgency (four cases not stated)
Never	15 (10)	4.00 (3.30-4.00)	0.001a	16 (9)	3.40 (2.24-3.76)	< 0.001a	20 (5)	2.45 (2.19-3.40)	0.177a	17 (8)	2.67 (1.56-3.83)	0.507a
Sometimes	88 (21)	3.25 (2.22-3.70)		98 (11)	2.24 (1.60-2.96)		92 (17)	2.48 (1.88-3.37)		91 (18)	2.33 (2.00-3.33)
Always	15 (1)	2.30 (1.80-2.60)		15 (1)	1.50 (1.33-2.06)		15 (1)	2.24 (1.77-2.64)		15 (1)	2.00 (1.33-3.33)
Women only UC-ever	47 (11)	3.30 (2.70-3.80)	0.005b	52 (6)	2.44 (1.79-3.11)	0.002b	50 (8)	2.72 (2.08-3.56)	0.034b	49 (9)	2.67 (2.00-3.67)	0.003b
Women only CC-ever	38 (7)	2.45 (1.72-3.60)		42 (3)	1.86 (1.28-2.44)		39 (6)	2.24 (1.65-2.86)		39 (6)	2.00 (1.33-2.67)
Passive fecal soiling (seven cases not stated)
Never	38 (12)	3.40 (2.67-4.00)	0.086a	41 (9)	2.56 (1.97-3.42)	0.049a	43 (7)	3.05 (2.28-3.66)	0.008a	40 (10)	3.33 (2.33-4.00)	< 0.001a
Sometimes	63 (16)	3.10 (2.20-3.60)		69 (10)	2.17 (1.56-2.78)		65 (14)	2.23 (1.80-2.90)		64 (15)	2.00 (1.42-2.92)
Always	15 (3)	2.50 (1.70-3.90)		17 (1)	2.06 (1.39-3.20)		17 (1)	2.27 (1.90-3.39)		17 (1)	2.00 (1.00-2.96)
Women only UC-ever	36 (9)	3.30 (2.76-3.82)	0.040b	39 (6)	2.44 (1.78-3.22)	0.020b	39 (6)	2.48 (1.94-3.27)	0.181b	38 (7)	2.33 (1.92-3.00)	0.019b
Women only CC-ever	33 (7)	2.50 (1.61-3.60)		37 (3)	1.91 (1.28-2.44)		34 (6)	2.20 (1.70-2.86)		34 (6)	1.83 (1.33-2.67)

FIQL, Rockwood et al[22]; n: Number of participants in each category.

¹Scales calculated as per letter to the editor. Rockwood[26];

²QOL score of 1 represents very low functional status and 4 is not affected by FI.

^aKruskal-Wallis test;

^bMann-Whitney U test.