Urinary incontinence is associated with an increase in falls: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
Is urinary incontinence associated with falls in community-dwelling older people?


METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies investigating falls and urinary incontinence.


METHODS
Community-dwelling older people.


METHODS
Falls rather than fracture or injury, and any type of urinary incontinence.


RESULTS
Odds ratios of nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. The odds of falling were 1.45 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.54) in the presence of any type of urinary incontinence. The odds of falling were 1.54 (95% CI 1.41 to 1.69) in the presence of urge incontinence. The odds of falling were 1.11 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.23) in the presence of stress incontinence. The odds of falling were 1.92 (95% CI 1.69 to 2.18) in the presence of mixed incontinence.


CONCLUSIONS
Urge urinary incontinence, but not stress urinary incontinence, is associated with a modest increase in falls. Falls prevention programs need to include an assessment of incontinence and referral for interventions to ameliorate the symptoms of urge incontinence.
Chiarelli
Pauline E
PE
School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Pauline.Chiarelli@newcastle.edu.au
Mackenzie
Lynette A
LA
Osmotherly
Peter G
PG
D000056:Accident Prevention; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D053202:Urinary Incontinence, Urge / Q000453:epidemiology*