Lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged women - Prevalence and attitude towards mild urinary incontinence. A community-based population study

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the prevalence and perceived bother of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in middle-aged women with and without self-reported urinary incontinence. Patients and methods. In the Women's Health In the Lund Area study (WHILA 1995-2000), 32% of the participating 6917 women, 50-59 years, reported urinary incontinence defined as involuntary urinary leakage causing a social and/or hygienic problem. Out of these, 1500 women with (INCONT) and 1500 without incontinence (CONT) received the Bristol Female lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) questionnaire in January 2001. Results. A total of 2682 (89%) women were included. Most common LUTS in the INCONT and CONT groups, respectively, were any urinary leakage (93.8% vs. 53.3%, P < 0.001), urgency (86.2% vs. 62.5%, P < 0.001), stress incontinence (85.1% vs. 41%, P < 0.001), and frequency (86.9% vs. 35.6%, P < 0.001). The two groups differed significantly in the degree of reported bother by infrequently occurring stress and urge incontinence. Urinary leakage more than once a week was reported as bothersome by 97.5%. The prevalence of self-reported urinary incontinence increased from 32% to estimated 66% if the demand for social and/or hygienic bother was omitted from the definition. Conclusion. The prevalence of self-reported urinary incontinence increased from 32% to estimated 66%, if the demand for social and/or hygienic bother was omitted from the definition. LUTS other than incontinence are common in middle-aged women, with a significantly higher prevalence in women with self-reported incontinence than in continent women. The attitude towards stress- and urge incontinence varied widely when the symptoms occurred infrequently. Urinary leakage more than once a week was considered bothersome by 97.5%. © Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2005.