title: Racial differences in bother for women with urinary incontinence in the Establishing the Prevalence of Incontinence (EPI) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare differences in degree of bother in black and white women with urinary incontinence (UI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study was conducted in black and white women in Michigan. Participants completed an interview and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire short form (IIQ-7). Statistical analysis included 2-way analysis of variance for post hoc comparisons of IIQ-7 scores between races at different frequencies, amounts, and types of UI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Black women with moderate UI had significantly higher IIQ-7 scores than white women (31.4 +/- 3.5 vs 23.7 +/- 1.9; P = .03). Overall, black women with urge incontinence had higher scores than white women (30.5 +/- 4.0 vs 21.0 +/- 3.0; P = .05). After adjustment for severity, black women with urge and mixed incontinence tended to be more bothered (P = .06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With moderate UI (not mild or severe), black women are more bothered than white women. At this discriminatory level of UI severity, racial differences are important, because they may dictate care-seeking behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lewicky-Gaupp
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brincat
authors.forename: Elisa R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Trowbridge
authors.forename: John O L
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Delancey
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guire
authors.forename: Divya A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Dee E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Fenner
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People