Standard questions for a bowel diary to assess fecal incontinence in adults: A consensus project of the International Continence Society
Donna Z. Bliss,
Paula Igualada-Martinez,
Sandra Engberg,
Julia H. Herbert,
Olga V. Gurvich,
Carlene Igbedioh,
Amy Hunter,
Jenniffer Voelkl,
Karina Cuiñas León,
Alexis M.P. Schizas
Affiliations
Donna Z. Bliss
University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America; Correspondence to: University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 5-140 Weaver-Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Street, S.E. Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States of America.
Paula Igualada-Martinez
Brunel University, London, UK
Sandra Engberg
University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
Julia H. Herbert
Ellesmere Physiotherapy Clinic, Lancashire, UK
Olga V. Gurvich
University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
Carlene Igbedioh
Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
Amy Hunter
Bradford Teaching Hospitals, Bradford, England, UK
Jenniffer Voelkl
Urology Clinics, Universitary Hospital Fundación SANTAFE de bogota, Bogota, Colombia
Aims:: To develop a minimum set of standard questions to include on a bowel diary for assessing fecal incontinence in adults. Methods:: An interdisciplinary team of ICS members searched and reviewed the literature, analyzed 32 bowel diaries from 9 countries, obtained input from 56 delegates from 19 countries at two ICS workshops, and reached consensus using a modified Delphi method. Results:: Fourteen questions to include as standard on a bowel diary for reporting characteristics of fecal incontinence prospectively in adults were developed. Conclusion:: There are numerous advantages to having standard questions for a bowel diary including potential to improve information about the characteristics and epidemiology of fecal incontinence and enabling comparisons of outcomes of interventions across settings and studies.
