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. 2013 May 30:13:27.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2490-13-27.

Prevalence, incidence and remission of urinary incontinence in women: longitudinal data from the Norwegian HUNT study (EPINCONT)

Marit Helen Ebbesen, Steinar Hunskaar, Guri Rortveit, Yngvild Skaatun Hannestad

Prevalence, incidence and remission of urinary incontinence in women: longitudinal data from the Norwegian HUNT study (EPINCONT)

Marit Helen Ebbesen et al. BMC Urol. .

Abstract

Background: To determine incidence and remission of UI as well as changes in UI prevalence in the Norwegian EPINCONT surveys.

Methods: The EPINCONT surveys were conducted in the county of Nord-Trøndelag, Norway, as part of two large cross-sectional health surveys (HUNT2 and HUNT3) in 1995 - 1997 (EPINCONT1 (E1)), and 2006 - 2008 (EPINCONT2 (E2)). EPINCONT collected information about prevalence of UI, as well as information about type and severity of UI.

Results: A 16% relative increase in UI prevalence was found in 11 years. The women who answered E2 were significantly older, had a higher BMI and higher prevalence of diseases such as asthma, diabetes and angina compared with the women who answered E1.

Conclusion: Crude UI prevalence increased between the studies. Changes in known risk factors for UI such as age, BMI, weight and parity could explain some of the relative increase in prevalence, and were also found to be associated with either incidence of UI, remission of UI or both.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence (%) of UI in EPINCONT1 (E1) and EPINCONT2 (E2) by 5-year age groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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