title: The prevalence and risk factors of urinary incontinence and its influence on the quality of life among Egyptian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The exact magnitude of the problem of urinary incontinence (UI) in Egypt is not yet reported. We studied the prevalence and potential risk factors associated with UI among a group of Egyptian women as taken from a representative sample from the population.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, community-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assiut, Upper Egypt, Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  women, aged 20 years and older, selected randomly from the population.
  
  
  METHODS
  PARTICIPANTS completed a previously validated questionnaire; Urogenital Distress Inventory-short form (UDI-6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,652 women were included. The prevalence of UI among our study subjects is 54.8%. Aging, low educational level, menopause, higher parity (>3), vaginal delivery, and previous multiple abortions (>3) were found to be significantly associated with UI. The prevalence of urge, stress and mixed incontinence, mutually exclusive of each other, was 15%, 14.8%, and 25%, respectively. The prevalence of severe incontinence is 8.4%. Regarding the quality of life, the most distressing issues for sufferers were their inability to pray (90%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UI is quite common in Egypt and prevalence rates are higher when compared to other reports.
authors: Urology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. elazab@hotmail.com
authors: Ahmed S
authors: AS
authors: El-Azab
authors: Eman M
authors: EM
authors: Mohamed
authors: Hanaa I
authors: HI
authors: Sabra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology