Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in a Random Sample of the Urban Population of Pouso Alegre, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

This study determines and analyzes the prevalence of Urinary Incontinence (UI) and its demographic and clinical predictors. This epidemiological and cross-sectional study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of São Paulo, Nursing School. The sample was randomly selected by cluster technique and included 519 individuals aged ≥18 years, living in 341 houses in urban areas. Data were analyzed through Chi-Square, Hosmer Lemeshow’s test and multivariate logistic regression (stepwise). Prevalence rates were standardized by gender and age. Of the 519 people composing the sample: 20.1% had UI, 32.9% were women and 6.2% were men. Longer duration of losses (OR = 29.3; p<0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR = 17.7; p<0.001), stroke (OR = 15.9; p<0.001), and cystocele (OR = 12.5; p <0.001) were the factors most strongly associated with UI. This study enabled the identification of UI epidemiology and can contribute to the development of public policies for its primary and secondary prevention and treatment, even if such measures are initially implemented at the city level.