Prevalence and Associated Factors of Urinary Incontinence among Chinese Adolescents in Henan Province: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Urinary incontinence is a common but understudied health problem in adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and associated factors for urinary incontinence in high-school-aged Chinese adolescents. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling procedure was adopted, yielding a sampling frame of 15,055 participants from 46 high schools in Henan province, China. Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect data. The urinary incontinence variable was assessed using the International Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form. The prevalence of urinary incontinence was 6.6%, with a female predominance (7.2% versus 6.0% in males; p < 0.05), and it increased with age, from 5.8% at 14–15 years to 12.3% at 19–20 years old (p < 0.001). The most common subtype of urinary incontinence was urgency urinary incontinence (4.4%), followed by stress urinary incontinence (1.7%) and mixed urinary incontinence (0.5%). Female sex, higher grades, more frequent sexual behavior, physical disease, chronic constipation, mental health problems, and residence in nonurban areas were significantly associated with higher odds of having urinary incontinence (p < 0.05). Public health programs, such as health education and school-based screening, should be established for early detection and appropriate management of urinary incontinence. Furthermore, individualized interventions targeting associated factors should be developed through collective efforts by adolescents, families, schools, and policymakers.