Epidemiological study of urge urinary incontinence and risk factors in China

To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of urge urinary incontinence (UUI) in Chinese adult women.

A cross-sectional study using the multistaged random sampling method. Twenty thousand Chinese women aged >or=20 years were interviewed.

Of the women aged 20-99 years, the prevalence of UUI was 2.6%, which increased with age. Age, waist circumstance, constipation, chronic pelvic pain, history of gynecological diseases, and menopausal status were independent risk factors of UUI. Women aged 60 or above were 2.329 times more likely to suffer UUI as compared to women aged 20-40. Women in perimenopausal or postmenopausal status were, respectively, 1.766 or 2.285 times more likely to suffer UUI as compared to women in normal menstruation. However, parity and mode of delivery were not risk factors.

The prevalence of UUI is 2.6% among Chinese adult women. Age is a major independent risk factor of UUI.