title: Prevalence of urinary incontinence in Korean women:an epidemiologic survey.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in a Korean national community sample of female adults aged 30-79 years. During April 2003, a national Korea telephone survey using quota sampling methods was conducted. The clinically validated computer-assisted telephone interview approach was used in the survey. Of the 1,500 subjects contacted, 1,303 were successfully interviewed (response rate 86.9%). Overall, UI was reported by 40.8%, and 22.9, 3.1, and 14.9% reported pure stress, urge, and mixed UI, respectively. The prevalence of stress, urge, and mixed UI generally did not increase with age. Urge and mixed UI had a greater impact than stress UI on daily tasks (P < 0.001), social life (P < 0.001), depression or anxiety due to UI (P < 0.001), worry about UI (P < 0.001), sex life (P < 0.001), wear protection due to UI (P = 0.011), and quality of life (P < 0.001). In subjects with pure stress UI, 28.3% reported impaired quality of life compared with 43.9% and 43.8% of subjects with urge and mixed UI. Of those individuals with stress, urge, and mixed UI, 19.1, 20.0, and 25.8% had the willingness to seek medical consultation. This study is the first to examine the prevalence of UI in Korean women. The present study revealed that there was a high prevalence of UI in this population. Our descriptive research provides a valuable insight into the need for tailored education to this population about UI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Ja Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Seung-June
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Kyu-Sung
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Paick
authors.forename: Ju Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Duk Yoon
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong Ju
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong Gu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong Gil
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Dong Deuk
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Won-Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*