title: The greatest taboo: urinary incontinence as a source of shame and embarrassment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While urinary incontinence is often labeled as a taboo in the literature, we found no scientific data addressing this issue exclusively. The aim of our study was to measure the perception of urinary incontinence as a taboo and how this compares to other medical conditions that may be embarrassing.
  
  
  METHODS
  150 test persons completed a self-administered 13-item questionnaire about perception and knowledge of urinary incontinence. Data were analysed with the SPSS 10.0.5 software package using the U-test, Chi-square-test, Yates-correction, Fisher's exact test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six (60.6%) of 142 respondents thought that urinary incontinence constituted a taboo in Austria. To be incontinent was considered significantly more embarrassing than depression or cancer, respectively (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite its high prevalence, urinary incontinence is still considered a taboo in up to 60% of our Austrian test persons. The level of shame and embarrassment of urinary incontinence is significantly higher than that of depression and cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. ksenia.elenskaia@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Ksenia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elenskaia
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haidvogel
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heidinger
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doerfler
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Umek
authors.forename: Engelbert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanzal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012752:Shame; D013609:Taboo / Q000523:psychology*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult