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Prevalence, treatment and known risk factors of urinary incontinence and overactive bladder in the non-institutionalized Portuguese population

International Urogynecology Journal volume 20, pages 1481–1489 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

To quantify the prevalence (previous month) of urinary incontinence (UI) and overactive bladder (OAB), to assess its relation with known risk factors and to characterize UI awareness and treatment.

Methods

Telephone interviews were conducted in 1,934 Portuguese subjects aged ≥40 years. UI was defined according to the International Continence Society definitions. OAB was assessed through the Overactive Bladder Assessment Tool.

Results

The prevalence of UI was 21.4% (95% CI 19.0–23.9) in women, 7.6% (95% CI 4.8–10.4) in men. Diagnosis (ever in life) was reported by 4.5% (95% CI 3.3–5.7) of the participants, from which 73.0% reported to have been treated for UI. OAB was reported by 29.4% (95% CI 26.6–32.2) of women and 35.1% (95% CI 29.6–40.6) of men. Obesity, hysterectomy and asthma in women, and age in men, were significantly associated with the symptoms.

Conclusions

UI and OAB prevalences were high, but the proportion of individuals aware of their condition was low, emphasizing the need for better information among physicians and general population.

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Abbreviations

UI:

Urinary incontinence

OAB:

Overactive bladder

ICS:

International Continence Society

NUT:

Territorial Unit Nomenclature

SUI:

Stress urinary incontinence

UUI:

Urge urinary incontinence

MUI:

Mixed urinary incontinence

OR:

Odds ratio

CI:

Confidence intervals

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Acknowledgements

This work received unrestricted funding from OM Portuguesa.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal

    Sofia Correia & Nuno Lunet

  2. Institute of Public Health, University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal

    Sofia Correia & Nuno Lunet

  3. Department of Urology, Hospital São João, Porto, Portugal

    Paulo Dinis

  4. Department of Urology, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal

    Paulo Dinis

  5. Department of Urology, Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal

    Francisco Rolo

  6. Serviço de Higiene e Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal

    Sofia Correia

Authors
  1. Sofia Correia
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  2. Paulo Dinis
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  3. Francisco Rolo
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  4. Nuno Lunet
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Correspondence to Sofia Correia.

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Correia, S., Dinis, P., Rolo, F. et al. Prevalence, treatment and known risk factors of urinary incontinence and overactive bladder in the non-institutionalized Portuguese population. Int Urogynecol J 20, 1481–1489 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0975-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0975-x

Keywords

  • Overactive bladder
  • Prevalence
  • Population-based survey
  • Urinary incontinence