Urinary incontinence in a community-based cohort: prevalence and healthcare-seeking.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of urinary incontinence and to assess care-seeking behavior for urinary symptoms among community-dwelling people.


METHODS
A community-based cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Randomly selected men and women from Olmsted County, Minnesota.


METHODS
Two cohorts, one comprised of both men (n = 778) and women (n = 762) 50 years of age or older and a second comprised of men aged 40 years or older (n = 2150).


METHODS
Participants completed questionnaires assessing urinary incontinence in the previous 12 months, the number of days leaked, the amount leaked, and healthcare-seeking measures for urinary symptoms.


RESULTS
In the first cohort, the prevalence of incontinence was 24% in men and 49% in women; 29% of men and 13% of women with incontinence had sought care for urinary symptoms. Urinary incontinence was more strongly associated with care-seeking measures for urinary symptoms in men (Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 2.4, 8.0) than in women (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2, 3.9). Moderate or severe urinary incontinence was associated significantly with care-seeking for urinary symptoms (OR = 10.5, 95% CI = 5.6, 19.8). In the second cohort, the prevalence of urinary incontinence was 17.3%; 8.5% of men with incontinence had sought care for urinary symptoms. Men with incontinence were 1.2 times (95% CI = .8, 1.9) as likely to seek care for urinary symptoms as men without incontinence.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that although urinary incontinence is relatively common in the community, care-seeking for urinary symptoms among persons with urinary incontinence is low, particularly among women, for whom the prevalence exceeds 40% between the ages of 50 and 70 years. These findings suggest that strategies to promote care-seeking for incontinence need to be investigated and employed in the community.
Roberts
R O
RO
Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Jacobsen
S J
SJ
Rhodes
T
T
Reilly
W T
WT
Girman
C J
CJ
Talley
N J
NJ
Lieber
M M
MM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology