title: A 10-year follow-up of urinary and fecal incontinence among the oldest old in the community: the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.
abstract: Urinary incontinence is common in the elderly. The epidemiology of fecal and double (urinary and fecal) incontinence is less known. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) is a national study of elderly living in the community at baseline (n = 8,949) and interviewed in 1991-1992, 1996, and 2001. Using data from the CSHA, we report the prevalence of urinary, fecal, and double incontinence in each wave and the cumulative incidence between waves and investigate the predictors of urinary and fecal incontinence. Urinary incontinence increased rapidly in old age, being almost twice as high in women as in men. Fecal and double incontinence were less common, but also increased rapidly with age. In women, parity showed a positive relationship with (prevalent) urinary incontinence. In men, diabetes was a risk factor for urinary and fecal incontinence. We conclude that urinary, fecal, and double incontinence increase rapidly with age and that inquiry about incontinence should be part of routine medical and nursing assessment of all elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Box 2914, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. truls.ostbye@duke.edu
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Østbye
authors.forename: Arnfinn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seim
authors.forename: Katrina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feightner
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hachinski
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunskaar
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*