Elsevier

Urology

Volume 76, Issue 2, August 2010, Pages 265-270
Urology

Review Article
Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in Men, Women, and Children—Current Evidence: Findings of the Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2009.11.078Get rights and content

Objectives

To summarize existing evidence relating to the prevalence and risk factors of urinary incontinence in order to provide a concise reference source for clinicians, health researchers, and service planners.

Methods

For the Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence (4th ICI) world experts identified, collated, and reviewed the best available evidence. Estimates of prevalence from different studies are presented as ranges.

Results

Most studies report some degree of urinary incontinence (UI) in 25-45% of women; 7-37% of women aged 20-39 report some UI; “daily UI” is reported by 9% to 39% of women over 60. Pregnancy, childbirth, diabetes and increased body mass index are associated with an increased risk of UI. Prevalence of UI in men approximately half that in women: UI is seen in 11-34% of older men, with 2-11% reporting daily UI. Surgery for prostate disease is associated with an increased risk. Some 10% of children aged seven, 3% of 11-12 years olds and 1% of 16-17 year olds are not dry at night.

Conclusions

UI is clearly common, but accurate prevalence data have proven difficult to establish because of heterogeneity between studies in terms of methodologies, definitions of UI and populations considered. Future research should use standardized, validated and more readily comparable methods.

Section snippets

Material and Methods

The International Consultation on Incontinence is supported by the International Consultation on Urological Diseases, which was formed with the cosponsorship of the World Health Organization, the International Society of Urology, and the International Union Against Cancer, and the collaboration of the world's principal urological societies.3 The 4th ICI took place in Paris in July 2008. The Consultation is a global, multidisciplinary collaboration that seeks to gather, interpret, and summarize

Prevalence Estimate Ranges

As has been described, methodological differences mean that prevalence figures vary widely between studies. They also mean that studies can seldom be combined. Thus, estimates of prevalence are presented as ranges. In some instances, estimates from many studies have produced a very wide range. Where possible, the range of figures from a main concordant group of studies is presented, with studies that reported outlying figures excluded (either substantially higher or lower than other studies).

Urinary Incontinence in Women

Comment

When the epidemiologic evidence relating to UI is gathered and considered, the most obvious finding is that UI is common. Most studies report some degree of UI in 25%-45% of women; 7%-37% of women aged 20-39 years report some UI; “daily UI” is reported by 9%-39% of women aged > 60 years. Prevalence of UI in men is approximately half of that in women: UI is seen in 11%-34% of older men, with 2%-11% reporting daily UI. Some 10% of children aged 7 years, 3% of 11-12-year olds, and 1% of 16-17-year

Strengths and Limitations

This article and the 4th ICI chapter sections on the epidemiology of UI have limitations that must be acknowledged. They do not constitute a systematic meta-analysis of previously published epidemiologic studies of UI: the variations in populations, methods, and definitions used in published research are too varied to allow such an approach, and the clinical area is too broad. As a result, they may be regarded as a narrative review of the current published data combined with a consensus of

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    Milsom I, Herbison P, Altman D, Lapitan MC, Nelson R, Sillén U, Thom D comprised the Epidemiology Committee of the Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence, Paris, 2008.

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