Urinary incontinence, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder in women veterans.
OBJECTIVE
To study associations between urinary incontinence (UI) symptoms, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder in women veterans.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study enrolled women 20 to 52 years of age registered at 2 midwestern US Veterans Affairs Medical Centers or outlying clinics within 5 years preceding study interview. Participants completed a computer-assisted telephone interview assessing urogynecologic, medical, and mental health. Multivariable analyses studied independent associations between stress and urgency UI and depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.


RESULTS
Nine hundred sixty-eight women mean aged 38.7 ± 8.7 years were included. Of these, 191 (19.7%) reported urgency/mixed UI and 183 (18.9%) stress UI. Posttraumatic stress disorder (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-3.1) but not depression (odds ratio, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-2.0) was associated with urgency/mixed UI. Stress UI was not associated with posttraumatic stress disorder or depression.


CONCLUSIONS
In women veterans, urgency/mixed UI was associated with posttraumatic stress disorder but not depression.
Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation Center, Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Catherine S
CS
Bradley
Ingrid E
IE
Nygaard
Michelle A
MA
Mengeling
James C
JC
Torner
Colleen K
CK
Stockdale
Brenda M
BM
Booth
Anne G
AG
Sadler
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications*; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D053202:Urinary Incontinence, Urge / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D058014:Veterans Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*