ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAORI, PACIFIC ISLAND AND EUROPEAN NEW-ZEALAND WOMEN IN PREVALENCE AND ATTITUDES TO URINARY-INCONTINENCE

Aims. To assess the prevalence of urinary incontinence in New Zealand women of European, Maori and Pacific Island descent aged 18 years and over. Methods. A questionnaire, designed to be self administered, was sent to a group of 1028 women selected at random from the electoral ro ll in central Wellington. Incontinence was defined as any involuntary loss of urine. If present, details were sought regarding the occurrenc e, type, and severity of the incontinence so that the prevalence and n ature of the problem within ethnic groups could be determined. Results . The prevalence for Maori women (46.8%) was significantly greater tha n for either Pacific Island (29.2%) or European women (31.2%) (chi2 = 14.02, p = 0.001). Increasing age, and parity were associated with inc reasing prevalence of incontinence for all ethnic groups. Of the incon tinent women, 9% were continually incontinent, 28% once or more daily, and 37% more than twice monthly. A further 26% were incontinent less than twice monthly. The most reported type of incontinence was stress incontinence (48% of incontinent women), with 27% reporting urge incon tinence, and 21% a mixed picture of stress and urge. There was no sign ificant difference in the frequency of these symptoms between the diff erent ethnic groups. Fifty per cent of incontinent women reported want ing help for their urinary problems, but only one third had sought med ical assistance, with many regarding incontinence as a normal occurren ce. Conclusions. Urinary incontinence is common in New Zealand women i rrespective of ethnic group. The low proportion of women seeking medic al assistance emphasises the need for much greater awareness and publi c education of what is largely a treatable clinical problem. Urinary i ncontinence is estimated to affect more than one quarter of the female population.1 The prevalence varies according to different age groups, and although it is recognised that incontinence is more common in the elderly, a significant number are young with nearly 20% of female chi ldren experiencing episodes of urinary leakage.2 The medical, personal and social impact of urinary incontinence is substantial, but surpris ingly it is largely ignored, both by women with the condition, and by those providing health services to them such that it has been describe d as 'the hidden epidemic'. In New Zealand, research has been carried out on the prevalence of urinary incontinence and reasons for not seek ing treatment in the European community, but the other major ethnic gr oups in New Zealand (Maori and Pacific Island) have not been investiga ted.3 The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of urinary in continence in these ethnic groups and to determine any differences to the prevalence of incontinence in European women in a similar socioeco nomic environment. In addition, it was hoped to obtain some understand ing of the attitudes of the women in each group to incontinence and th eir perception of the currently available treatments and medical servi ces.