Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jun;37(6):298-302.
doi: 10.1589/jpts.37.298. Epub 2025 Jun 1.

A survey of urinary incontinence and health literacy among female rehabilitation professional therapists

Risa Hamada  1   2 , Akira Kubo  3 , Miyoko Watanabe  3
Affiliations

A survey of urinary incontinence and health literacy among female rehabilitation professional therapists

Risa Hamada et al. J Phys Ther Sci. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

[Purpose] The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence, background factors, general health literacy, and knowledge of urinary incontinence among female rehabilitation professionals. [Participants and Methods] We conducted an anonymous online survey of 73 female rehabilitation professionals who worked in a general hospital. The survey collected data on demographics, number of urinations, incontinence-related disorders, and childbirth history. Moreover, the severity of urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence-related quality of life, and general health literacy were assessed. [Results] Urinary incontinence was reported by 49.3% participants. Those with urinary incontinence were older, had a higher number of births, and reported higher rates of vaginal delivery and perineal incision than those without urinary incontinence. One item of the quality of life that was related to urinary incontinence, "personal relationships", was influenced by the frequency of micturition while the other items were related to the severity of urinary incontinence. [Conclusion] Female rehabilitation professionals have a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence than women in general population as shown in previous studies (Onishi, 2023). Therefore, it is important to understand the work characteristics that predispose individuals to urinary incontinence and to create a toilet-friendly workplace environment.

Keywords: Female rehabilitation professional therapists; Quality of life; Urinary incontinence.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. Onishi A, Shibata A: Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of urinary incontinence in Japanese women: a web-based cross-sectional study. Womens Health (Lond Engl), 2023, 19: 17455057231207754. - PMC - PubMed
    1. MacLennan AH, Taylor AW, Wilson DH, et al. : The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders and their relationship to gender, age, parity and mode of delivery. BJOG, 2000, 107: 1460–1470. - PubMed
    1. Ninomiya S, Okayama H: Current status and issues of urinary incontinence in Japanese women—discussion of literature on the relationship between urinary incontinence and childbirth—. Shiga Prefect Matern Health Soc J, 2009, 9: 37–44.
    1. Kameyama E, Sasano M, Hasegawa T: Current situation and related factors of urinary incontinence in women 4 months postpartum. Maternal hygiene, 2021, 62: 60–69.
    1. Kochi M: Relationship between urinary incontinence in women within 3 years after childbirth and childbirth—the role of midwives in preventing and improving urinary incontinence—. Jpn Nurs Res Soc J, 2009, 32: 47–57.