Table 1.
Evaluation of potential risk factors for faecal incontinence
| Potential risk factor | Agreement (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Not a risk factor | Co-factor | Independent | |
| Socio-demographic and lifestyle | |||
| Increasing age | – | 16 | 84 |
| Intensive exercise | 22 | – | 78 |
| Female sex | – | 29 | 71 |
| Institutional living | – | 90 | 10 |
| Dietary factors | – | 87 | 13 |
| Obesity | 0 | 86 | 14 |
| Excessive alcohol consumption | 10 | 74 | 16 |
| Ethnicity | 97 | 3 | – |
| Unemployment | 90 | 10 | – |
| Low socioeconomic status | 71 | 29 | 0 |
| Obstetric | |||
| Third- or fourth-degree tear | 0 | 4 | 96 |
| Instrumental delivery | 2 | 6 | 92 |
| Prolonged second stage of labour | 13 | 87 | |
| Grand multiparity | 2 | 26 | 72 |
| Parity (versus nulliparity) | 4 | 26 | 70 |
| High birth weight babies | – | 100 | 0 |
| Episiotomy, first- or second-degree tear | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Sphincteric | |||
| Surgical trauma such as haemorrhoidectomy, internal sphincterotomy | – | 7 | 94 |
| Anal trauma/rape (not consensual anal intercourse)* | 0 | 13 | 87 |
| Atraumatic conditions such as scleroderma or idiopathic internal sphincter atrophy | – | 19 | 81 |
| Reconstructive surgery for congenital malformations such as Hirschsprung or anorectal agenesis | 0 | 20 | 80 |
| Extra-sphincteric | |||
| Pelvic radiotherapy | – | 0 | 100 |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Previous rectal resection | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Evacuation disorders (obstructed defaecation) | – | 11 | 89 |
| Peripheral nerve injuries such as cauda equina syndrome | 0 | 16 | 84 |
| Chronic diarrhoea | – | 19 | 81 |
| Spinal conditions such as spinal trauma | 0 | 20 | 80 |
| Central nervous system conditions such as stroke or multiple sclerosis | – | 26 | 74 |
| Medications which may cause diarrhoea* | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| Neurodiverse conditions such as autism** | 0 | 100 | 0 |
| Diabetes mellitus | – | 74 | 26 |
| Depressive disorders | 100 | 0 | 0 |
*Added following round 1
**Added following round 3