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Attaining nocturnal urinary control, nocturnal enuresis, and behavioral problems in Chinese children aged 6 through
X Liu1, Z Sun, M Uchiyama
1Department of Psychiatry, Shandong Medical University, People's Republic of China. liu7@niehs.nih.gov
Insights
This study found that Chinese children achieve nocturnal urinary control earlier than Western peers. Delayed control or enuresis in children is linked to increased behavioral and emotional issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) is common in childhood.
- Understanding its prevalence and associations with behavioral problems is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in Chinese children.
- To investigate the relationship between achieving nocturnal urinary control, enuresis, and behavioral problems.
Main Methods:
- A community-based survey of 3,344 Chinese children aged 6–16 years.
- Utilized the Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher's Report Form to assess behavioral problems.
Main Results:
- Nocturnal urinary control was achieved by 93% of children by age 5.
- The overall prevalence of nocturnal enuresis was 4.3%, higher in boys.
- Delayed urinary control (after age 4) and enuresis were associated with increased risk of behavioral, emotional, and academic problems.
Conclusions:
- Chinese children achieve nocturnal urinary control earlier than Western children.
- Nocturnal enuresis prevalence is low and stable in school-aged children.
- Findings support a link between nocturnal enuresis and psychopathology in children and adolescents.
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis and to examine associations between nocturnal urinary control or enuresis and behavioral problems in Chinese children.
Method:
A community sample of 3,600 children aged 6 through 16 years was drawn from Shandong Province of China in 1997; 3,344 (93%) returned completed questionnaires. The Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher's Report Form were used to measure children's behavioral problems.
Results:
The proportion of children attaining nocturnal urinary control before age 2 was 7.7%; by age 3, this had increased to 53.1%, and by age 5 to 93%. The overall prevalence of nocturnal enuresis was 4.3%, with a significantly higher prevalence in boys than girls. There was no significant decrease in the prevalence of enuresis between 6 and 16 years of age. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that attaining nocturnal urinary control after age 4 and current enuresis were significantly associated with an increased risk of behavioral, emotional, and academic problems.
Conclusions:
Chinese children attain nocturnal urinary control earlier than Western children. The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis is low but fairly stable in children between 6 and 16 years. The findings support the link between nocturnal enuresis and psychopathology in children and adolescents.