Prevalence of the Female Urinary Incontinence.Results from a Questionnaire Study

Overview

Objective:
To evaluate the prevalence of urinary incontinence in patients of gynecological practiseaged 31-60.Design: Prospective questionnaire study.Setting: Obstetric and Gynecologic Department, Charles University 2nd Medical Faculty andTeaching Hospital Motol, Prague.Methods: Questionnaire study of 561 women aged 31-60 examined with gynecological problems(not for the symptoms of urinary incontinence) from November 2001 till October 2002 in standardgynecological practise. The questionnaire included history, evaluation of urinary continence,lasting of the symptoms, body mass index, obesity, age, parity. Stress, urgent and mixed incontinenceand infl uence on the sexual life were also evaluated. Cochran Mantel-Haenszel test and χ2test were used for the statistical analysis.Results: The incontinence rate in the group of 533 evaluated patients (95% completed questionnairesfrom 561) of gynecological practise was 23.8%. 81.1% of incontinent patients in the studysuffered from stress urinary incontinence. For an easy survey and analysis the patients were dividedinto three age groups (31-40, 41-50, 51-60). Prevalence of the urinary incontinence rised withage. Statistically signifi cant lower prevalence of urinary incontinence was in the age group 31-40(p

Key words:
female urinary incontinence, prevalence, obesity, quality of life, sexuality, questionnaire