Prevalence of stress urinary incontinence in both sexes at or after age 15 years: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose: We determine the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence among males and females at or after age 15 years in an education and research health district.

Materials and methods: During a personal interview questionnaires were given to a total of 2,053 people at or after age 15 years in an education and research health district near Ankara, Turkey. In addition to the particular questions about stress incontinence, the medical history, including congenital or acquired diseases of clinical significance, operations and details relevant to positive findings were obtained. Groups with or without stress incontinence were compared in regard to age and sex, and parity in women. Subgroups that emerged as to the presence of nocturia and/or urgency incontinence were examined in regard to systemic diseases, operations, congenital anomalies and regular medications.

Results: A total of 229 people (11.1%) had stress incontinence, with a female predominance of 20.8% versus 1.0% (p <0.05). People 65 years old or older experienced stress incontinence 6.24 times more than those in the 15 to 24-year age group. In contrast, females had increasing stress incontinence prevalence by age as noted by relevant odds ratios. Stress incontinence prevalences among women in the 35 to 44 and 45 to 54-year age groups were about 39 and 35 times higher than those of men in the corresponding age groups. As expected the incontinence prevalences increased with the number of births in women. Nocturia was absent in 50.2% of all subjects, whereas 26.7% reported nocturia at all times and 23.0% had nocturia sometimes. Persistent nocturia was present in 21.1% of males and 32.1% of females. Persistent nocturia and urgency were apparently greater in patients with systemic diseases and/or those who had undergone surgery. Urgency incontinence was present in 9.7% of the entire population with a distinct female predominance of 16.3% versus 2.7%.

Conclusions: Stress incontinence occurred in both sexes at or after age 15 years with a female predominance. The prevalence of stress incontinence increases with age and parity in women. Urgency and nocturia are more prevalent in people with systemic diseases and those who have undergone previous pelvic or neurosurgical operations.