title: Urinary incontinence in the Netherlands: Prevalence and associated risk factors in adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with urinary incontinence (UI) among adults in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, we included 1257 respondents aged ≥ 18 years, who completed the validated Groningen Defecation and Fecal Continence Checklist. UI was defined as any involuntary leakage of urine during the past 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of UI in the total group was 36.8%. Women experienced UI significantly more often than men (49.0% versus 22.6%, respectively, P < 0.001). We found that in both men and women, the prevalence of UI increased with aging (P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively). Remarkably, multivariate analysis revealed that age did not influence UI in men. Men and women aged 18-39 also experienced UI (17.0% and 36.1%, respectively). We established that diabetes mellitus, fecal incontinence, and constipation were risk factors for UI. In women, obesity, vaginal hysterectomies, and vaginal parturition were also risk factors for UI, as was prostate surgery in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of UI in the Netherlands is high. Medical practitioners should therefore not underestimate this problem, especially among young people. Because the multivariate analysis revealed that in men age did not correlate significantly with UI, we believe that the risk of experiencing UI increases with age because of diseases that are known to lead to UI and not because of aging as a single factor itself. Finally, this study can be used as a reference for patients living in Western-Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Surgery, Anorectal Physiology Laboratory, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Marleen
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rien J M
authors.initials: RJM
authors.lastname: Nijman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Anorectal Physiology Laboratory, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trzpis
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Anorectal Physiology Laboratory, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul M A
authors.initials: PMA
authors.lastname: Broens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: epidemiology; prevalence; risk factors; urinary incontinence