Risk factors for urinary incontinence in both sexes - Analysis of a healthscreening project

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify factors related to urinary i ncontinence in both sexes by analysing almost 2.500 individuals participati ng in a health screening project in the area of Vienna. Materials and Methods: An incontinence questionnaire (Bristol LUTS question naire) was included to health investigations. During this investigation (a) a medical history; (b) a physical investigation; (c) sociodemographic para meters including smoking, eating and drinking habits, and (d) urine and blo od study including 14 parameters were obtained. The parameters collected du ring this health investigation were correlated to the presence of urinary i ncontinence to identify potential risk factors for urinary incontinence. Results: 1,262 women (49.7 +/- 13.6 years) and 1,236 men (48.6 +/- 13.0 yea rs) were analyzed. In the female population, 26.3% reported on episodes of urinary incontinence during the past 4 weeks. Among other factors, age (cor relation coefficient [r] = 0.22), body mass index (r = 0.20), urgency (r = 0.16), feeling of incomplete bladder emptying (r = 0.21), previous uro-gyne cological surgery and fasting blood glucose correlated significantly to uri nary incontinence. Five percent of men were incontinent, age (r = 0.12), ur gency (r = 0.16), nocturia (r = 0.16), feeling of incomplete emptying (r = 0.16), reduced uroflow (r = 0.18) and previous prostatectomy (r = 0.11) cor related to the presence of urinary incontinence. In both sexes, smoking hab its and the education level revealed no association. Conclusions: The high prevalence of urinary incontinence, its socioeconomic implications, the continuously ageing population and the fact that a numbe r of potential risk factors, particularly in women, have been identified su ggest that targeted prevention is a major task for the future. Copyright (C ) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.