Urinary incontinence in older men: protocol for a scoping review of risk factors

Urinary incontinence (UI) is common among older men. Epidemiological studies have established many risk factors for UI but these studies are not always specific to men aged 65 and above. The literature is yet to be systematically and comprehensively reviewed to identify UI risk factors specific to these men. Such evidence is required for the development of evidence-based interventions. This scoping review will synthesise evidence regarding UI risk factors in older men.

The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) method for scoping reviews will guide the conduct of this scoping review and its reporting alongside the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews checklist. JBI's Population, Concept and Context framework is used to frame inclusion criteria, and JBI's scoping review protocol template was used to format this protocol. Our comprehensive search will include Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library (via Wiley) and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. There will be no language restriction since approximately 10% of preliminary search results were in languages other than English. Study type or publication date will not be restricted. Besides databases, we will review Google Scholar results and bibliographies. Two independent reviewers will screen, select and extract eligible studies. A preliminary search was performed on 24 May 2022. The search strategy and data extraction template are in online supplemental appendix. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of data will be performed as a means of describing the risk factors for UI identified among older men by using frequencies and descriptive methods.

The review does not require ethics approval. Findings will be disseminated at conferences, in a peer-reviewed journal and used to inform the development of an evidence-based tool for self-management of UI in older men.