Prevalence of Nocturnal Enuresis among Primary School Children in Bursa, Turkey.

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis and its association with sociodemographic factors in 6- to 14-year-old children in the central district of Bursa, located in western Turkey. Methods: A cross sectional epidemiological study was performed among the 125,843 primary schoolchildren. In total, 3270 students aged 6-14 years participated (response rate 98.0%). Data were collected via a questionnaire completed by parents. The relationships between the prevalence of enuresis and various sociodemographic variables were assessed. Results: The overall prevalence of nocturnal enuresis was 23.5%, and the prevalence of the condition was higher in males than in females (52.5% vs. 47.5%). Of the students positive for nocturnal enuresis, 59.1% had primary and 41.9% had secondary enuresis. Male gender, history of enuresis, deep sleep, and constipation were significantly associated with enuresis. Conclusions: The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis may be higher than in previous studies in Turkey, a finding that may be due to the relatively low socioeconomic status of the families in this study.