Prevalence of urinary incontinence in adults who visited family practice clinics: cheonan practice-based research network study

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although urinary incontinence is a common problem, its prevalence and severity in community is not well established. The main objects of this study were to define the prevalence in adult men and women who came to a primary care office for health care. METHODS: Men and women aged 20 years and over who came to family physician's offices seeking health care for any reason during an 2-week period were the subjects of a survey by anonymous questionnaire. Ten family practice offices in Cheonan Practice-Based Research Network participated. We defined "current significant urinary incontinence" as aver any degree of annoying incontinence in the past 12 months. RESULTS: Of the 1,130 responders, 46.3% experienced urinary incontinence. Incontinence was experienced by 26.7% of the men and 50.2% of the women. 'Current significant urinary incontinence' was experienced by 3.7% of the men and 10.12% of the women. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary incontinence is a common problem among those seen in primary care settings, and patients hesitate to seek cansultation of their problems with physicians. Therefore, family physicians should deal with the symptoms of incontinence more attentively during history taking.