Behavioral therapy for urinary incontinence in India

Abstract

Objective To ascertain the prevalence of urinary incontinence in a sample of women from northern India, and the impact of behavioral therapy to treat its occurrence and severity. Methods A randomized controlled trial conducted from 2005–2006 to test the null hypothesis that behavioral therapy would not have an effect on urinary incontinence. Following a prevalence study, a total of 198 women with urinary incontinence were randomized into 2 groups: an intervention group (behavioral therapy) and a control group (no therapy). Results The prevalence of urinary incontinence was 11.6%. After an 8-month follow-up period, 41 women (52.5%) in the intervention group had become continent, and severity had shifted from severe to mild in 19 women (24.4%). In contrast, 11 women (12.8%) in the control group had become continent. In the intervention group, mean daytime voiding frequency decreased from 9.56 to 7.64, mean nighttime voiding frequency decreased from 1.45 to 0.69, and mean episodes of urine leakage decreased from 1.97 to 0.23. Conclusion Behavioral therapy was effective in treating urinary incontinence, particularly in women with mild and moderate incontinence.