ABSTRACT
Enuresis is a health problem frequently encountered in childhood. This study was carried out in two socio-demographically different districts of the province of Istanbul, for the purpose of determining the relationship between the prevalence of primary nocturnal enuresis and certain demographic characteristics. The study design is a cross-sectional carried out on 420 children [5 to 13 yr old] through random sampling. The research was conducted at two health centers in two different districts in the province of Istanbul. Data was collected with a questionnaire created by the researchers. Diagnosis of enuresis considered nocturnal voiding twice a week for at least three consecutive months. Enuresis was a complaint expressed by 16.2% of the cases in the study group; 8.3% reported intermittent bedwetting. The data collected in two districts pointed to a significant difference in terms of the frequency of enuresis in favor of the district where socio-demographic features were inferior [P<0.005]. When family histories were explored in case of children with enuresis, it was found that the mothers of 76.2% had the problem of enuresis while 14.9% had enuretic fathers. Thus statistically, the presence of enuresis in the family history was seen to have had a markedly significant impact on the occurrence of enuresis in the child [P<0.001]. It was concluded that familial predisposition to the condition constituted a more significant risk factor for enuresis compared to socio-demographic or economic characteristics