Prevalence of urinary incontinence and its association with multimorbidity in women aged 50 years or older: A population-based study.

AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors for urinary incontinence, as well as its association with multimorbidity among Brazilian women aged 50 or over. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional population-based study including 622 women 50 years or older, conducted in the city of Campinas-SP-Brazil. The dependent variable was Urinary Incontinence (UI), defined as any complaint of urine loss. The independent variables were sociodemographic data, health-related habits, self-perception of health and functional capacity evaluation. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Chi-square test and Poisson regression. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 64. UI was prevalent in 52.3% of these women: Mixed UI (26.6%), Urge UI (13.2%) and Stress UI (12.4%). Factors associated with a higher prevalence of UI were hypertension (OR 1.21, CI 1:01-1:47, P = 0.004), osteoarthritis (OR 1.24, CI 1:03-1:50, P = 0.022), physical activity ≥3 days/week (OR 1.21, CI 1:01-1:44, P = 0.039), BMI ≥ 25 at the time of the interview (OR 1.25, CI 1:04-1:49, P = 0.018), negative self-perception of health (OR 1.23, CI 1:06-1:44 P = 0.007) and limitations in daily living activities (PR 1:56 CI 1:16-2:10, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of UI was high. Mixed incontinence was the most frequent type of UI. Many associated factors can be prevented or improved. Thus, health policies targeted at these combined factors could reduce their prevalence rate and possibly decrease the prevalence of UI.

Cancer in Women over 50 Years of Age: A Focus on Smoking.

The increase in life expectancy worldwide has resulted in a greater prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with the occurrence of cancer among Brazilian women over the age of 50. A cross-sectional study with 622 women over the age of 50 was performed using a population survey. The outcome variable was the occurrence of a malignant tumor in any location. The independent variables were sociodemographic characteristics, self-perception of health, health-related habits and morbidities. Statistical analysis was carried out using the chi-square test and Poisson regression. The mean age of the women was 64.1 years. The prevalence of cancer was 6.8%. The main sites of occurrence of malignant tumors were the breast (31.9%), colorectal (12.7%) and skin (12.7%). In the final statistical model, the only factor associated with cancer was smoking > 15 cigarettes/day either currently or in the past: PR 2.03 (95% CI 1.06-3.89). The results have improved understanding of the prevalence and factors associated with cancer in Brazilian women aged 50 years or more. They should be encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and pay particular attention to modifiable risk factors such as smoking.

Disability and multimorbidity in women older than 50 years: a population-based household survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of disability and associated factors in Brazilian women older than 50 years. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study (in the form of a population survey) of 622 women older than 50 years and residing in Campinas, Brazil. Disability was assessed through a questionnaire with seven items and defined as "being completely unable to perform any of them." Independent variables included self-perception of health, sociodemographic data, health-related habits, and morbidities. Statistical analysis was carried out by χ(2) test and Poisson regression. RESULTS: The mean age of women was 64.1 years, and the prevalence of disability was 43.4%. Age (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03), fear of falling (PR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.17-2.16), higher body mass index (PR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05), personal history of myocardial infarction (PR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.06-1.76), smoking more than 15 cigarettes per day (PR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.04-1.72), hospitalization in the past year (PR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.03-1.62), multimorbidity (PR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.02-2.02), and use of any medication prescribed by a doctor (PR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.02-2.41) were associated with a higher prevalence of disability. Self-perception of health as good/very good (PR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.52-0.86), use of alternative medications (PR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.33-0.90), and more years of schooling (PR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.93) were associated with a lower prevalence of disability. CONCLUSIONS: The results improve our understanding of the factors associated with disability in Brazilian women and may help identify those who need multidisciplinary support to reduce effects on quality of life.

Factors associated with osteoporosis in Brazilian women: a population-based household survey.

UNLABELLED: The aging of Brazilian population has been well-documented. A longer time since menopause, poor self-perception of health, and having arthrosis and balance problems are factors associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Poor self-perception of health, menopausal treatment with natural remedies, smoking, and decreased functional capacity are associated with early onset of the disease. PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of osteoporosis and its associated factors in Brazilian women over 50 years of age and to obtain information on factors related to the early onset of the disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 622 women over 50 years of age residing in Campinas/Brazil was conducted between May 10 and October 31, 2011 in the form of a population survey. A questionnaire was applied by trained interviewers. Osteoporosis was classified either as self-reported or as osteoporosis diagnosed by bone densitometry. Statistical analysis was carried out by chi-square test, Poisson regression analysis, and Cox multiple regression model. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 64.1 years. The prevalence of self-reported osteoporosis was 21.3 %. A longer time since menopause (prevalence ratios (PR), 1.04; 95 % CI, 1.03-1.05; p < 0.001); self-perception of health as fair/poor/very poor (PR, 1.73; 95 % CI, 1.29-2.33; p < 0.001); having arthrosis (PR, 1.83; 95 % CI, 1.30-2.59; p < 0.002) and having problems maintaining balance when taking a bath or going down stairs (PR, 1.52; 95 % CI, 1.07-2.14; p = 0.020) were associated with osteoporosis. The variables associated with early onset of the disease were: self-perception of health as fair/poor/very poor (coefficient, 0.77; p < 0.001), menopausal treatment with natural remedies (coefficient, 1.01; p < 0.001), smoking or having smoked >20 cigarettes/day (coefficient, 1.02; p = 0.003), and problems in running/lifting something heavy/practicing sports/doing heavy work (coefficient, 0.60; p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study have improved understanding of the factors associated with osteoporosis in the Brazilian population and may help identify those women who should undergo bone densitometry.

Multimorbidity and associated factors in Brazilian women aged 40 to 65 years: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of multimorbidity and associated factors in Brazilian women aged 40 to 65 years with 11 or more years of school education. METHODS: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional population-based study was conducted using an anonymous self-report questionnaire completed by 377 women. The number of reported morbid conditions was evaluated (depression, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, urinary incontinence, and insomnia) and classified as none or one and two or more morbid conditions. The sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical, and reproductive factors associated with these conditions were also assessed. The χ test and multiple logistic regression analysis with stepwise selection criteria were used to select the major factors associated with morbid conditions, with a significance level set at 5%. RESULTS: Insomnia was reported by 38.5%, depression by 31%, hypertension by 28.4%, urinary incontinence by 23.2%, and diabetes by 6.3% of the participants. In this sample, 28.9% did not report any morbid conditions, 31.8% reported one morbid condition, and 39.3% reported two or more morbid conditions. On logistic regression analysis, the increased likelihood of having two or more morbid conditions was associated with bad/fair self-perception of health (increased 5.1 times; 95% CI, 1.85-14.1), nonperformance of physical activity (increased by 2.7 times; 95% CI, 1.08-6.81), obesity (increased by 30.3 times; 95% CI, 3.17-250), postmenopause (increased by 4.4 times; 95% CI, 1.57-12.11), and nervousness (increased by 3.8 times; 95% CI, 1.45-9.8). CONCLUSIONS: A worse self-perception of health, sedentariness, obesity, nervousness, and being postmenopausal were associated with multimorbidity.