The Relationship between Urinary Incontinence, Osteoarthritis, and Musculoskeletal System Disorders

Background/Objectives: Urinary incontinence diminishes quality of life, and its severity can be worsened by mobility impairments. This study explored the link between urinary incontinence, osteoarthritis, and back musculoskeletal system disorders, considering pain, mobility issues, and daily activity difficulties. Methods: This cross-sectional study included respondents aged ≥ 15 years from the 2008 Turkish Health Studies Survey (n = 13,976). We assessed self-reported urinary incontinence, daily activity, mobility impairment, pain, osteoarthritis, and musculoskeletal disorders to explore their association with urinary incontinence. Gender-specific logistic regression models included chronic conditions related to urinary incontinence. Results: The prevalence of urinary incontinence was higher in the participants with osteoarthritis and back musculoskeletal system problems. Among the patients with osteoarthritis, the prevalence was 25.84% in the mobility-impaired group and 10.03% in the non-impaired group. Similarly, 33.02% of those with activities of daily living (ADL) difficulties and 12.93% of those without difficulties had incontinence. The frequency of urinary incontinence increased with pain severity. According to the multivariable logistic regression analyses, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of urinary incontinence for osteoarthritis was 1.58 (95% CI 1.23-2.02, p < 0.01) for females and 2.38 (95% CI 1.62-3.49, p < 0.01) for males. Conclusions: Urinary incontinence was more common in females, increased with age, and was found to be associated with osteoarthritis and back musculoskeletal system disorders. Among the patients with osteoarthritis and back musculoskeletal system disorders, those with mobility impairment and daily activity difficulties had a higher prevalence of urinary incontinence. The patients with more severe pain had a higher frequency of urinary incontinence.