Prevalence and Possible Risk Factors for Urinary Incontinence: A Cohort Study in the City of Izmir

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and possible risk factors of urinary incontinence (UI) among women aged 18 or older living in the city of Izmir, located in the Aegean coast of Turkey. Methods: A questionnaire and the validated International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) were filled by urologists (O.D., V.S., A.E., O.B., and B.I.) with face-to-face interview. The participants with urge UI (UUI) and stress UI (SUI) were compared in terms of risk factors, quality of life (QoL) scores, severity of incontinence, status of doctor consultation, and total ICIQ-SF scores. Results: A total of 719 women were included and the prevalence of UI was 50.3% in our study. The key risk factors for UUI were hypertension and diabetes mellitus; the key risk factors for SUI were hypertension, multiparity, body mass index, and lower education level. Average QoL (ICIQ-SF 5) score for UUI was worse than SUI (3.8 ± 2.5 vs. 3.3 ± 2.4; p = 0.042) and seeking treatment for UI was significantly higher in participants with UUI when compared to those with SUI (45.1 vs. 24%; p ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: Physicians should be aware that risk factors may differ according to specific UI subtypes when evaluating patients with UI.