Missed Opportunities: A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Disparities in Treatment for Fecal Incontinence.

Importance: Previous work identified racial disparities in access to fecal incontinence (FI) treatments. However, less is known about patient perspectives of these barriers.

Objectives: This study assessed differences in FI symptom severity and treatment utilization between Black and White patients.

Study Design: This mixed-methods assessment studied adult non-Hispanic Black and White women treated for FI who either did not respond to medical therapy nor received sacral neuromodulation or did not follow up after medical therapy. Structured interviews queried patients about treatments offered and symptom severity.

Results: Of the 118 patients in the retrospective evaluation, 59 (50%, 24 Black and 35 White) were interviewed. Black patients were more likely than White patients to report occasional, weekly, or daily solid and stool incontinence (75.0% vs 48.6%, P = 0.042; 87.5% vs 51.4%, P = 0.004, respectively) and flatal incontinence (83.3% vs 62.9%, P = 0.088).Of those prescribed fiber supplements and antidiarrheal medications, Black patients were less likely to report symptom improvement (25.0% vs 70.0%, P = 0.013; 57.1% vs 87.5%, P = 0.092, respectively, for each medication type) and ongoing regimen adherence (25.0% vs 63.3%, P = 0.013; 28.6% vs 87.5%, P = 0.035, respectively).Black patients were more likely to report impairment in daily functioning secondary to FI (83.3% vs 57.1%, P = 0.034) and were more likely to seek a follow-up visit with a health care professional that performs sacral neuromodulation (79.2% vs 28.6%, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Black patients were more likely to have severe symptoms and poorer treatment outcomes and desire future follow-up, highlighting the importance of addressing racial differences in patient preferences in FI management strategies.