Burden of stress urinary incontinence for community-dwelling women.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to better understand the subjective bothersomeness of stress urinary incontinence symptoms and their impact on the quality of life of community-dwelling women.


METHODS
We conducted a mail survey of 605 women in the United States who reported symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.


RESULTS
More than three fourths of the respondents reported their symptoms to be bothersome, with approximately 29% reporting their symptoms to be moderately to extremely bothersome. The odds of moderate-to-extreme bother decreased with age and increased with symptom severity. Concerns about social embarrassment were evident.


CONCLUSIONS
Stress urinary incontinence symptoms can impose a significant burden on the women who have them. The results reinforce the need for health care professionals to be proactive in questioning and educating patients about this common lower urinary tract symptom.
Fultz
Nancy H
NH
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, PO Box 1248, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA. nfultz@isr.umich.edu
Burgio
Kathryn
K
Diokno
Ananias C
AC
Kinchen
Kraig S
KS
Obenchain
Robert
R
Bump
Richard C
RC
D000375:Aging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology