Prevalence and Associated Factors of Urinary Incontinence Among Chilean Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A...

Systematic reviews of the global prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) have shown an underrepresentation of the South American population. The objective of this study was (i) to determine the prevalence and associated factors of UI among older Chilean community-dwelling older adults and (ii) to analyze the differences between older adults with and without UI.

This is an analytical cross-sectional study. A total of 144 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above were eligible to participate in the study. Participants were asked to provide a range of data, including demographic data and anthropometric and self-reported measures. The prevalence of UI was estimated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). The analyzed factors included age, sex, weight, height, residence comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognitive function, and activity of daily living (ADL) functionality.

One hundred eight older adults were included in the study. The median age of the participants was 69.0 ± 8.0 years, 84 (77.8%) were women, and 71 (65.7%) lived in an urban residence. The prevalence of UI in the total sample was 48.1% (n = 52). Stress, urge, and mixed types of UI were present in 75 (69.4%), 15 (14.3%), and 18 (16.3%) participants, respectively. Female sex, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypothyroidism were significantly more frequent in older adults with UI (P < 0.05). Correlations ranging from negligible to weak were observed between the presence of UI and the female sex (r = 0.25; P < 0.05), rheumatoid arthritis (r = 0.23; P < 0.05), and hypothyroidism (r = 0.35; P < 0.01).

In a sample of community-dwelling older adults, UI was present in 48.1% of the participants. The prevalence of UI was correlated with the female sex, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypothyroidism.