Barriers to seeking care for accidental bowel leakage: a qualitative study

Dr. Heidi Brown et al. conducted focus groups and cognitive interviews with 39 women aged 46-85 to identify and describe the barriers to seeking care for accidental bowel leakage, a condition for which less than 30% of women who have it seek care. The investigators found 12 barriers to seeking care for accidental bowel leakage, such as lack of knowledge about the condition, lack of knowledge about treatment, fear of testing/treatment, and others, that fit into three overarching themes of (1) internalized self in relation to ABL: (2) perceptions about ABL and its treatments; and (3) interaction with the healthcare system. These barriers are similar to those described for urinary incontinence treatment, with the addition of lack of knowledge that ABL is a condition experienced by others.

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