Factors associated with urinary incontinence among Hispanic/Latina women in the United States: Findings from The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Abstract

AbstractPurposeTo identify factors associated with urinary incontinence (UI) in women of various Hispanic/Latina backgrounds.Materials and MethodsWe analyzed data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a multicenter, community‐based cohort study which includes a health‐related questionnaire assessing presence and type of UI. Complex survey logistic regression analysis was used to assess the cross‐sectional association of Hispanic/Latina backgrounds and other factors of UI. All estimates accounted for HCHS/SOL survey design.ResultsOf 5027 women, 33.4% answered “yes” to UI. Rates of any UI ranged from approximately 21.9% to 40.3% in women of Dominican and Puerto‐Rican background, respectively. Any UI and UI subtypes were associated with age older than 65 years, increasing body mass index, smoking status, any alcohol use, parity ≥3, and postmenopausal status. After controlling for covariates and when compared with women of Mexican background, women of Dominican background were less likely to have any UI (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.30–0.57), as were women of Cuban (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.37–0.62), Puerto‐Rican (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.62–1.0), and mixed (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.39–0.99) background; and women of every other background except for South American were less likely to have stress UI. In addition, women of Cuban (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.32–0.86) and mixed (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.16–0.87) background were less likely to have urge UI than women of Mexican background.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates differences in UI by Hispanic/Latina background, suggesting collective designation of Hispanics/Latinas as a single ethnic group does not adequately describe UI among this diverse group.