Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of urinary incontinence in patients of gynecological practise aged 31-60.
Design: Prospective questionnaire study.
Setting: Obstetric and Gynecologic Department, Charles University 2nd Medical Faculty and Teaching Hospital Motol, Prague.
Methods: Questionnaire study of 561 women aged 31-60 examined with gynecological problems (not for the symptoms of urinary incontinence) from November 2001 till October 2002 in standard gynecological practise. The questionnaire included history, evaluation of urinary continence, lasting of the symptoms, body mass index, obesity, age, parity. Stress, urgent and mixed incontinence and influence on the sexual life were also evaluated. Cochran Mantel-Haenszel test and chi2 test were used for the statistical analysis.
Results: The incontinence rate in the group of 533 evaluated patients (95% completed questionnaires from 561) of gynecological practise was 23.8%. 81.1% of incontinent patients in the study suffered from stress urinary incontinence. For an easy survey and analysis the patients were divided into three age groups (31-40, 41-50, 51-60). Prevalence of the urinary incontinence rised with age. Statistically significant lower prevalence of urinary incontinence was in the age group 31-40 (p<0.0005). Influence of parity on the prevalence of incontinence was statistically significant only in the age group 31-40 (p=0.002). Obesity had no statistical impact on prevalence of urinary incontinence (p=0.79). 5.5% of incontinent women suffered from negative effect of urinary incontinence on sexuality; the differencies among the age groups were not statistically significant.
Conclusions: The results of the study show high prevalence of urinary incontinence in population of healthy women of gynecological practise. Low interest for the treatment is in contrast with high prevalence of this symptom. Higher quality of the enlightenment with attention to the prevention and therapy of urinary incontinence in population is the way how to improve quality of lives of the afflicted women.