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