[Risk factors associated with urinary incontinence in community-dwelling elderly women]

To evaluate whether the frequency, volume, and type of urinary incontinence (UI) correlated with physical fitness and self-rated health, and to assess the risk factors associated with frequency and volume of UI, and self-rated health in elderly community-dwelling women with UI.

The subjects were 957 women aged 70 or older who participated in a comprehensive health examination which included a face-to-face interview and physical fitness tests. In order to evaluate the differences in the physical fitness and the interview data with the frequency, volume, and type of UI we used student t-test for continuous variables and the chi-square test for categorical variables. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the factors associated with frequency and volume of UI, and self-rated health.

The prevalence of UI was 43.5% in elderly women. The high frequency and large amount of UI, and the urge and mixed UI were significantly associated with a lower level of balance, muscular strength, walking ability, and higher BMI. According to the logistic model, self-rated health (odds ratio (OR)=0.49, 95%confidence intervals (CI)=0.26-0.92), urge (OR=2.04, 95%CI=1.04-4.06) and mixed UI (OR=4.07, 95%CI=1.94-8.70), BMI (OR=1.10, 95%CI=1.01-1.21), urination frequency during the daytime(OR=1.25, 95%CI=1.10-1.44), maximum walking speed (OR=0.25, 95%CI=0.08-0.71) were independent variables significantly associated with frequency of UI, the volume of UI was significantly associated with urge (OR=2.27, 95%CI=1.08-4.91) and mixed UI (OR=3.02, 95%CI=1.33-6.98), and the self-rated health was significantly associated with frequency of UI (OR=2.18, 95%CI=1.28-3.68) and urge UI (OR=2.28, 95%CI=1.30-4.06).

The high frequency and urge UI was significantly associated with a lower level of physical fitness and self-rated health. Our findings suggest that active lifestyle, which was focused on a decreased BMI and increased walking ability, may contribute to the prevention of UI.