[Urinary incontinence among physical education students]

Abstract

Urinary incontinence (UI) is seen as a problem that affects older multiparous women. Little attention has been given to identifying UI in groups of younger or nulliparous women. This study verified the prevalence of UI and the characteristics of urinary loss among young nulliparous female physical education students. Data collection was performed using a questionnaire. Of all 95 students, 61.1% answered the questionnaire. The average age was 21.4 years and 20.7% stated having presented involuntary urine loss. In 75% of cases, urinary loss occurred during sports activities. The students who had experienced urinary loss rated the problem with a 2.3 average score (ranging form 0 to 6), with 0 being no problem and 10 being a serious problem. It is concluded that urinary loss during exercise, though relatively frequent, is not considered a relevant issue for the physical education students.