Lv. Swithinbank et al., Urinary symptoms and incontinence in women: relationships between occurrence, age, and perceived impact, BR J GEN PR, 49(448), 1999, pp. 897-900
Background. The prevalence of urinary symptoms that impact on quality-of-li
fe will be important in determining resource allocation in primary care gro
ups.
Aim. To determine the prevalence of urinary symptoms and their perceived im
pact in a community population of women.
Method. A postal survey using a validated self-completed questionnaire amon
g all women aged over 18 years and registered with one general practice in
a major British city. The prevalence rates and perceived impact of a wide r
ange of urinary symptoms and their relationship with age was determined Dat
a were analysed using the chi-squared test and the chi-squared rest for tre
nd. Spearman's rank correlation was used to assess the relationship between
symptom severity and perceived impact.
Results. The number of completed questionnaires returned was 2075, giving a
n 80% response rate. Of these, the number of women who reported some degree
of incontinence in the previous month was 1414 (69%), although only 578 (3
0%) indicated that it had social or hygienic impact Other lower urinary tra
ct symptoms reported included nocturia (19%), poor stream (19%), urgency (6
1%), and dysuria (23%). The most troublesome symptoms were incontinence for
no obvious reason, nocturnal incontinence, and nocturia, with 73%, 69%, an
d 63% of sufferers, respectively, finding These symptoms troublesome.
Conclusions. Incontinence and other urinary symptoms are more common than p
reviously thought These symptoms are not always perceived as bothersome or
as having a social or hygienic impact, and therefore many women who report
urinary leakage do not require treatment Nocturnal symptoms in women are co
mmoner than might have been supposed and are extremely troublesome to suffe
rers.