title: Association between urinary incontinence in elderly patients and caregiver burden in the city of Sao Paulo/Brazil: Health, Wellbeing, and Ageing Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Some elderly patients with incontinence require the care of third parties, known as caregivers. Such care can occur on a daily basis leaving little opportunity for the caregiver to take care of himself/herself. The aims are to assess the association between urinary incontinence in elderly patients and caregiver burden and identify independent factors for caregiver's burden in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Pan-American Health Organization and World Health Organization coordinated a multicenter study named Health, Wellbeing and Aging (SABE Study) in elderly people living in seven countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In Brazil, the study population carried out in São Paulo in the year 2000 and reassessed in 2006 (COHORT A). Urinary incontinence was assessed by ICIQ-SF and caregiver burden by means of Zarit Burden Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 327 patients with caregivers were included in the study. The general prevalence of urinary incontinence was 25.8%, higher among the women. There was a significant positive association between caregiver burden and incontinent patients, demonstrating that urinary incontinence in elderly patients produced greater caregiver burden. In the present study, the variables with significant correlations were assessed using the multivariate logistic regression model. Category 2 of the ICIQ-SF (incontinent patients) increased the chances of caregiver burden 1.96-fold in comparison to Category 1 (continent patients). Likewise, the category of impaired cognition increased the chances of caregiver burden 2.34-fold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary incontinence and cognitive impairment in elderly patients were associated to an increase in caregiver burden.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas de da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, SP, Brazil. tadeutamanini@gmail.com
authors.forename: José Tadeu Nunes
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Tamanini
authors.forename: Jair L F
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lebrão
authors.forename: Yeda A O
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Ruy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laurenti
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*