Female urinary incontinence: long-term follow-up after treatment in general practice

Abstract

Background: Several reports have been published showing that women with urinary incontinence (UI) can be taken care of and treated satisfactorily in general practice.

Aim: To find out whether the treatment of women with UI in general practice is effective also in the long term.

Method: One hundred and five women with UI who consulted their general practitioner (GP) were examined and treated according to a treatment protocol. Treatment options were pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, oestrogen supplements, bladder training, and protective pads. Three to six years after inclusion, all women received a postal questionnaire to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of treatment. Women who had been referred to a specialist were excluded.

Results: Eighty out of 82 eligible patients answered the questionnaire after a mean follow-up period of 56 months. Twenty-seven per cent were continent, 26% much better, 23% a little better, 21% unchanged, and 3% were worse compared with before the treatment. The median score on a 100 mm visual analogue scale was 16 compared with 31 before treatment, and the percentage of women that were 'much' or 'a great deal' bothered by UI was reduced from 35% to 12%. The percentage of women with severe UI was reduced from 59% to 30%, and the number of women using pads was reduced from 62% to 39%.

Conclusion: This study confirms that management of female UI in general practice is effective also in the long term.