Periarteriolar spaces modulate cerebrospinal fluid transport into brain and demonstrate altered morphology in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Perivascular spaces (PVS) drain brain waste metabolites, but their specific flow paths are debated. Meningeal pia mater reportedly forms the outermost boundary that confines flow around blood vessels. Yet, we show that pia is perforated and permissive to PVS fluid flow. Furthermore, we demonstrate that pia is comprised of vascular and cerebral layers that coalesce in variable patterns along leptomeningeal arteries, often merging around penetrating arterioles. Heterogeneous pial architectures form variable sieve-like structures that differentially influence cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transport along PVS. The degree of pial coverage correlates with macrophage density and phagocytosis of CSF tracer. In vivo imaging confirms transpial influx of CSF tracer, suggesting a role of pia in CSF filtration, but not flow restriction. Additionally, pial layers atrophy with age. Old mice also exhibit areas of pial denudation that are not observed in young animals, but pia is unexpectedly hypertrophied in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, pial thickness correlates with improved CSF flow and reduced ß-amyloid deposits in PVS of old mice. We show that PVS morphology in mice is variable and that the structure and function of pia suggests a previously unrecognized role in regulating CSF transport and amyloid clearance in aging and disease.

Substantial understory contribution to the C sink of a European temperate mountain forest landscape.

CONTEXT: The contribution of forest understory to the temperate forest carbon sink is not well known, increasing the uncertainty in C cycling feedbacks on global climate as estimated by Earth System Models. OBJECTIVES: We aimed at quantifying the effect of woody and non-woody understory vegetation on net ecosystem production (NEP) for a forested area of 158 km2 in the European Alps. METHODS: We simulated C dynamics for the period 2000-2014, characterized by above-average temperatures, windstorms and a subsequent bark beetle outbreak for the area, using the regional ecosystem model LandscapeDNDC. RESULTS: In the entire study area, woody and non-woody understory vegetation caused between 16 and 37% higher regional NEP as compared to a bare soil scenario over the 15-year period. The mean annual contribution of the understory to NEP was in the same order of magnitude as the average annual European (EU-25) forest C sink. After wind and bark beetle disturbances, the understory effect was more pronounced, leading to an increase in NEP between 35 and 67% compared to simulations not taking into account these components. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly support the importance of processes related to the understory in the context of the climate change mitigation potential of temperate forest ecosystems. The expected increases in stand replacing disturbances due to climate change call for a better representation of understory vegetation dynamics and its effect on the ecosystem C balance in regional assessments and Earth System Models.

Pelvic floor disorders and quality of life in women with self-reported irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life among women with irritable bowel syndrome may be affected by pelvic floor disorders. AIM: To assess the association of self-reported irritable bowel syndrome with urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, sexual function and quality of life. METHODS: We analysed data from the Reproductive Risks for Incontinence Study at Kaiser Permanente, a random population-based study of 2109 racially diverse women (mean age = 56). Multivariate analyses assessed the association of irritable bowel syndrome with pelvic floor disorders and quality of life. RESULTS: The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome was 9.7% (n = 204). Women with irritable bowel had higher adjusted odds of reporting symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (OR 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-4.1) and urinary urgency (OR 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.9); greater bother from pelvic organ prolapse (OR 4.3; 95% CI, 1.5-11.9) and faecal incontinence (OR 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-3.2); greater lifestyle impact from urinary incontinence (OR 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.8); and worse quality of life (P < 0.01). Women with irritable bowel reported more inability to relax and enjoy sexual activity (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.6) and lower ratings for sexual satisfaction (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.5), but no difference in sexual frequency, interest or ability to have an orgasm. CONCLUSIONS: Women with irritable bowel are more likely to report symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse and sexual dysfunction, and report lower quality of life.

Effects of urinary incontinence, comorbidity and race on quality of life outcomes in women.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of comorbidity and urinary incontinence on both generic and incontinence specific quality of life outcome measures, and investigated whether the association between urinary incontinence and quality of life varies by race. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study participants were 2,109 women 40 to 69 years old randomly selected from an urban health maintenance organization and interviewed in person for a study of risk factors for urinary incontinence. The sample was racially diverse consisting of 48% white, 18% black, 17% Hispanic and 16% Asian-American women. In addition to incontinence, reproductive and medical history questionnaires, all participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36, a measure of health related quality of life. All participants with daily and weekly incontinence (29%) completed the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, an incontinence specific quality of life measure. The health maintenance organization's inpatient and outpatient electronic databases were used to calculate a Charlson comorbidity index score for each participant. ANCOVA was used to produce a model adjusting for sociodemographic variables, comorbidity and incontinence frequency. The same model was run for each of 4 racial groupings to examine differences by race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Urinary incontinence is significantly associated with a decreased quality of life and those with more frequent incontinence have significantly lower quality of life scores. In our model the Charlson score, an objective measure of comorbidity based on hospital and physician records, also has a significant negative impact on quality of life. When comorbidity is controlled, incontinence frequency continues to have a significant negative association with quality of life except among the sickest women. For women with the greatest extent of comorbidity, incontinence frequency is not significantly associated with negative quality of life outcomes. We did not find clear patterns of variation by race. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary incontinence and comorbidity each have an independent and significant role in reducing quality of life outcomes for all but the sickest women.

Urinary incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction in Asian-American women.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders among Asian-American women. STUDY DESIGN: This was a population-based cohort study of older women randomly selected from age and race strata. RESULTS: Weekly urinary incontinence was reported by 65 of 345 Asian women (18%), with stress and urge incontinence being approximately equally common. In multivariate analysis, higher body mass index (greater than 25 kg/m2) was associated with both stress incontinence (odds ratio 4.90, 95% confidence interval 1.76 to 13.68) and urge incontinence (odds ratio 2.49, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 6.16) in Asians. Hysterectomy was a significant risk factor for stress incontinence (odds ratio 2.79, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 7.54). Only 34% of Asian women with weekly urinary incontinence reported ever having sought treatment. Pelvic floor exercises were the most common form of treatment, being used by 29% of Asian women with weekly incontinence. Asians were less likely then white women to report anal incontinence (21% versus 29%, P = .007), although this difference became nonsignificant after adjusting for differences in risk factors. CONCLUSION: Asian women share some risk factors for stress and urge urinary incontinence with white women. Urinary incontinence is associated with anal incontinence among Asian women.

When physicians and patients think alike: patient-centered beliefs and their impact on satisfaction and trust.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to identify physician and patient characteristics associated with patient-centered beliefs about the sharing of information and power, and to determine how these beliefs and the congruence of beliefs between patients and physicians affect patients' evaluations. STUDY DESIGN: Physicians completed a scale assessing their beliefs about sharing information and power, and provided demographic information. A sample of their patients filled out the same scale and made evaluations of their physicians before and after a target visit. POPULATION: Physicians and patients in a large multispecialty group practice and a group model health maintenance organization were included. Forty-five physicians in internal medicine, family practice, and cardiology participated, as well as 909 of their patients who had a significant concern. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Trust in the physician was measured previsit, and visit satisfaction and physician endorsement were measured immediately postvisit. RESULTS: Among patients, patient-centered beliefs (a preference for information and control) were associated with being women, white, younger, more educated, and having a higher income; among physicians these beliefs were unrelated to sex, ethnicity, or experience. The patients of patient-centered physicians were no more trusting or endorsing of their physicians, and they were not more satisfied with the target visit. However, patients whose beliefs were congruent with their physicians' beliefs were more likely to trust and endorse their physicians, even though they were not more satisfied with the target visit. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of congruence between physicians' and patients' beliefs plays an important role in determining how patients evaluate their physicians, although satisfaction with a specific visit and overall trust may be determined differently.

Unsaid but not forgotten: patients' unvoiced desires in office visits.

OBJECTIVES: To examine patient, physician, and health care system characteristics associated with unvoiced desires for action, as well as the consequences of these unspoken requests. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patient surveys were administered before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after outpatient visits in the practices of 45 family practice, internal medicine, and cardiology physicians working in a multispecialty group practice or group model health maintenance organization. Data were collected at the index visit from 909 patients, of whom 97.6% were surveyed 2 weeks after the outpatient visit. Before the visit, patients rated their trust in the physician, health concerns, and health status. After the visit, patients reported on various types of unexpressed desires and rated their visit satisfaction. At follow-up, patients rated their satisfaction, health concerns, and health status, and also described their postvisit health care use. Evaluations of the visit were also obtained from physicians. RESULTS: Approximately 9% of the patients had 1 or more unvoiced desire(s). Desires for referrals (16.5% of desiring patients) and physical therapy (8.2%) were least likely to be communicated. Patients with unexpressed desires tended to be young, undereducated, and unmarried and were less likely to trust their physician. Patients with unvoiced desires evaluated the physician and visit less positively; these encounters were evaluated by physicians as requiring more effort. Holding an unvoiced desire was associated with less symptom improvement, but did not affect postvisit health care use. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' unvoiced needs affect patients' and physicians' visit evaluations and patients' subjective perceptions of improvement. Implications of these findings for clinical practice are examined.

Cost of pelvic organ prolapse surgery in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the annual direct cost to society of pelvic organ prolapse operations in the United States. METHODS: We multiplied the number of pelvic organ prolapse operations identified in the 1997 National Hospital Discharge Survey by national average Medicare reimbursement for physician services and hospitalizations. Although this reimbursement does not estimate the actual cost, it is a proxy for cost, which estimates what society pays for the procedures. RESULTS: In 1997, direct costs of pelvic organ prolapse surgery were 1012 million dollars (95% confidence interval [CI] 775 dollars, 1251 million), including 494 dollars million (49%) for vaginal hysterectomy, 279 million dollars (28%) for cystocele and rectocele repair, and 135 million dollars (13%) for abdominal hysterectomy. Physician services accounted for 29% (298 million dollars) of total costs, and hospitalization accounted for 71% (714 million dollars). Twenty-one percent of pelvic organ prolapse operations included urinary incontinence procedures (218 million dollars). If all operations were reimbursed by non-Medicare sources, the annual estimated cost would increase by 52% to 1543 million dollars. CONCLUSION: The annual direct costs of operations for pelvic organ prolapse are substantial.

Physician behaviors that predict patient trust.

OBJECTIVE: The goal for this study was to assess the relative strength of the association between physician behaviors and patient trust. STUDY DESIGN AND POPULATION: Patients (N=414) enrolled from 20 community-based family practices rated 18 physician behaviors and completed the Trust in Physician Scale immediately after their visits. Trust was also measured at 1 and 6 months after the visit. The association between physician behaviors and trust was examined in regard to patient sex, age, and length of relationship with the physician. RESULTS: All behaviors were significantly associated with trust (P<.0001), with Pearson correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.46 to 0.64. Being comforting and caring, demonstrating competency, encouraging and answering questions, and explaining were associated with trust among all groups. However, referring to a specialist if needed was strongly associated with trust only among women (r=0.61), more established patients (r=0.62), and younger patients (r=0.63). The behaviors least important for trust were gentleness during the examination, discussing options/asking opinions, looking in the eye, and treating as an equal. CONCLUSIONS: Caring and comfort, technical competency, and communication are the physician behaviors most strongly associated with patient trust. Further research is needed to test the hypothesis that changes in identified physician behaviors can lead to changes in the level of patient trust.

Opioids for chronic nonmalignant pain. Attitudes and practices of primary care physicians in the UCSF/Stanford Collaborative Research Network. University of California, San Francisco.

BACKGROUND: We hoped to determine the attitudes and practices of primary care physicians regarding the use of opioids to treat chronic nonmalignant pain (CNMP). We also examined the factors associated with the willingness to prescribe opioids for CNMP. METHODS: A survey was mailed to primary care physicians in the University of California, San Francisco/Stanford Collaborative Research Network. This survey contained questions regarding treatment in response to 3 case vignettes, the use of opioids for CNMP in general, and the demographic characteristics of the physicians. RESULTS: Among 230 physicians surveyed, 161 (70%) responded. Two percent of the respondents were never willing to prescribe schedule III opioids (eg, acetaminophen with codeine) as needed for patients with CNMP that persisted unchanged after exhaustive evaluation and attempts at treatment. Thirty-five percent were never willing to prescribe schedule II opioids (eg, sustained-release morphine) on an around-the-clock schedule for these patients. The most significant predictor of willingness to prescribe opioids for patients with CNMP was a lower level of concern about physical dependence, tolerance, and addiction. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care physicians are willing to prescribe schedule III opioids as needed, but many are unwilling to use schedule II opioids around the clock for CNMP. Individual prescribing practices vary widely among primary care physicians. Concerns about physical dependence, tolerance, and addiction are barriers to the prescription of opioids by primary care physicians for patients with CNMP.

Training physicians to increase patient trust.

Patient trust in the physician is an important aspect of the patient-physician relationship that has recently become a focus of interest, in part due to the rise of managed care in the US healthcare system. In a previous study, we identified physician behaviours reported by patients as important to establishing their trust in the physician. The current study attempted to modify these behaviours via a short training programme and thereby to increase patient trust and improve associated outcomes. After baseline measurements, 10 physicians were randomized to the intervention group and 10 remained as a control group. While intervention physicians showed a net improvement in 16 of 19 specific patient-reported behaviours when compared to control physicians, these differences were not statistically significant. There was also no significant difference in patient trust, patient satisfaction, continuity, self-reported adherence, number of referrals or number of diagnostic tests ordered. This short training course in a group of self-selected physicians was not a sufficiently strong intervention to achieve the desired effect. Suggestions are given for designing a stronger training intervention.

Hysterectomy and urinary incontinence: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Serious complications after hysterectomy are estimated to occur in around six women per 10,000 hysterectomies in the USA. We did a systematic review of evidence that hysterectomy is associated with urinary incontinence. METHODS: We identified English-language and non-English-language articles registered on MEDLINE from January, 1966, to December, 1997, did manual review of references, and consulted specialists. We identified 45 articles reporting on the association of urinary incontinence and hysterectomy. We selected reports that presented original data on development of incontinence in women who underwent hysterectomy compared with those who did not. Results were abstracted by two independent reviewers and summarised with a random-effects model. FINDINGS: 12 papers met our selection criteria--eight cross-sectional studies, two prospective cohort studies, one case-control study, and one randomised controlled trial. The summary estimate was consistent with increased odds for incontinence in women with hysterectomy. Because incontinence might not develop for many years after hysterectomy, we stratified the findings by age at assessment of incontinence. Among women who were 60 years or older, the summary odds ratio for urinary incontinence was increased by 60% (1.6 [95% CI 1.4-1.8]) but odds were not increased for women younger than 60 years. INTERPRETATION: When women are counselled about sequelae of hysterectomy, practitioners should discuss the possibility of an increased likelihood of incontinence in later life.

Differences in socioeconomic status and survival among white and black men with prostate cancer.

After diagnosis with prostate cancer, Black men in the United States have poorer survival than White men, even after controlling for differences in cancer stage. The extent to which these racial survival differences are due to biologic versus non-biologic factors is unclear, and it has been hypothesized that differences associated with socioeconomic status (SES) might account for much of the observed survival difference. The authors examined this hypothesis in a cohort study, using cancer registry and US Census data for White and Black men with incident prostate cancer (n = 23,334) who resided in 1,005 census tracts in the San Francisco Bay Area during 1973-1993. Separate analyses were conducted using two endpoints: death from prostate cancer and death from other causes. For each endpoint, death rate ratios (Blacks vs. Whites) were computed for men diagnosed at ages <65 years and at ages > or =65 years. These data suggest that differences associated with SES do not explain why Black men die from prostate cancer at a higher rate when compared with White men with this condition. However, among men with prostate cancer, SES-associated differences appear to explain almost all of the racial difference in risk of death from other causes.

Further validation and reliability testing of the Trust in Physician Scale. The Stanford Trust Study Physicians.

OBJECTIVES: To further validate and assess the reliability and validity of the Trust in Physician Scale. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients (n = 414) from 20 community-based, primary care practices were enrolled in a prospective, 6-month study. At enrollment, subjects completed the 11-item Trust in Physician Scale plus measures of demographics, preferences for care, and satisfaction with care received from the physician. Continuity, satisfaction with care, and self-reported adherence to treatment were measured at 6 months. Reliability, construct validity, and predictive validity were assessed using correlation coefficients and analysis of variance techniques. RESULTS: The Trust in Physician Scale showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .89) and good 1-month test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .77). As expected, trust increased with the length of the relationship and was higher among patients who actively chose their physician, who preferred more physician involvement, and who expected their physician to care for a larger proportion of their problems (P < 0.001 for all associations). Baseline trust predicted continuity with the physician, self-reported adherence to medication, and satisfaction at 6 months after adjustment for gender, age, education, length of the relationship, active choice of the physician, and preferences for care. After additional adjustment for baseline satisfaction with physician care, trust remained a significant predictor of continuity, adherence, and satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The Trust in Physician Scale has desirable psychometric characteristics and demonstrates construct and predictive validity. It appears to be related to, but still distinct from, patient satisfaction with the physician and, thus, provides a valuable additional measure for assessment of the quality of the patient-physician relationship.

An intervention to increase patients' trust in their physicians. Stanford Trust Study Physician Group.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of a one-day workshop in which physicians were taught trust-building behaviors on their patients' levels of trust and on outcomes of care. METHOD: In 1994, the study recruited 20 community-based family physicians and enrolled 412 consecutive adult patients from those physicians' practices. Ten of the physicians (the intervention group) were randomly assigned to receive a one-day training course in building and maintaining patients' trust. Outcomes were patients' trust in their physicians, patients' and physicians' satisfaction with the office visit, continuity in the patient-physician relationship, patients' adherence to their treatment plans, and the numbers of diagnostic tests and referrals. RESULTS: Physicians and patients in the intervention and control groups were similar in demographic and other data. There was no significant difference in any outcome. Although their overall ratings were not statistically significantly different, the patients of physicians in the intervention group reported more positive physician behaviors than did the patients of physicians in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The trust-building workshop had no measurable effect on patients' trust or on outcomes hypothesized to be related to trust.

Research interests of physicians in two practice-based primary care research networks.

Regional practice-based network research has grown significantly in the past 15 years. Previous studies have reported on characteristics of physicians who participate in network research, but little is known about the specific a priori research interests of practicing physicians. Knowledge of such interests could be useful in planning network research studies. We conducted a mail survey to assess the research interests of primary care physicians in two contiguous research networks at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and at Stanford University. Among 120 respondents from the UCSF Collaborative Research Network and 85 from the Stanford Ambulatory Research Network, the most common topics of interest were disease prevention, communication and compliance, and managed care. Among specific conditions, heart disease, hypertension, and respiratory infection were of interest to the majority of respondents. Topics not of interest to network members were obstetrics, diagnostic procedures, alcoholism, drug abuse, tuberculosis, male genito-urinary problems, occupational hazards, domestic violence, and AIDS and HIV. Identification of network physician research interests can help focus research and recruitment efforts on topics of interest and provide estimates of participation levels for planning studies and preparing funding applications for research networks.

Reproductive and hormonal risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life: a review of the clinical and epidemiologic literature.

OBJECTIVES: To review and integrate the current literature on the role of reproductive factors in the development of urinary incontinence in later life. DESIGN: An extensive literature review using Medline and Science Citation Index for the period 1966 through 1997 was undertaken to identify published studies of the association between parturition events, hysterectomy, menopause, estrogen therapy, and later urinary incontinence. RESULTS: Vaginal delivery is an established risk factor for both transient postpartum incontinence and the development of incontinence in later life. Several studies have found evidence of nerve and muscle damage that provide a physiologic basis for this association. Prospective studies of incontinence after hysterectomy have generally found no increased risk in the first few years. In contrast, cross-sectional epidemiologic studies have consistently found an increased risk many years after hysterectomy. Although menopause is often considered a risk factor for urinary incontinence, epidemiological studies have generally not found an increase in the prevalence of incontinence in the perimenopausal period. Oral estrogen replacement therapy seems to have little short-term clinical benefit in regard to incontinence and is associated consistently with increased risk of incontinence in women aged 60 years and older in epidemiologic studies. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides a framework for further investigation of the complex relationships between reproductive risk factors and urinary incontinence. Integration of physiologic, clinical, and epidemiologic studies is needed to address the compelling health care issue of urinary incontinence. Suggestions are made for further areas of research.

Variation in estimates of urinary incontinence prevalence in the community: effects of differences in definition, population characteristics, and study type.

OBJECTIVES: Prevalence estimates for urinary incontinence among community-dwelling adults vary from 2 to 55%. A review of the literature was undertaken to investigate the degree to which differences in definitions of incontinence, age, and gender of the populations studied, response rates, measurement techniques, or location could explain differences in reported prevalences. DESIGN: A literature search was conducted to locate all studies published in English reporting the prevalence of urinary incontinence in a population-based sample of adults. MEASUREMENT: Information was abstracted for study size, response rate, type of survey, definition of urinary incontinence, and prevalence of incontinence by age group and gender. Prevalence by type of incontinence was also abstracted where available. Stratification was used to obtain prevalence estimates specific for age, gender, and frequency of incontinence. Data were examined for associations between prevalence and survey type, response rate, year, and location of survey. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies met inclusion criteria. Stratification of reported prevalence by frequency, gender, and age substantially reduced the variation in prevalence estimates. For older women, the estimated prevalence of urinary incontinence ranged from 17 to 55% (median = 35%, pooled mean = 34%), and for daily incontinence it ranged from 3 to 17% (median = 14%, pooled mean = 12%). For older men, incontinence prevalence was estimated to be 11 to 34% (median = 17%, pooled mean = 22%), and 2 to 11% reported daily incontinence (median = 4%, pooled mean = 5%). Within studies, the prevalence of any incontinence was 1.3 to 2.0 times greater for older women than for older men. Among middle-aged and younger adults, prevalence of incontinence ranged from 12 to 42% (median = 28%, pooled mean = 25%) for women and from 3 to 5% (median = 4%, pooled mean = 5%) for men. The ratio of prevalence of any incontinence for women to men in this age group ranged from 4.1 to 4.5. Stress incontinence predominated in younger women, whereas urge and mixed incontinence predominated in older women. There was a tendency for studies using in-person interviews to report higher prevalences. CONCLUSIONS: An accurate estimate of the prevalence of urinary incontinence depends on specifying the definition of incontinence and the age and gender groups of interest.

Evaluation of parturition and other reproductive variables as risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life.

OBJECTIVE: To assess specific parturition and reproductive variables as potential risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life. METHODS: A mail survey was conducted with a random sample of 1922 women members of a large health maintenance organization. Multivariate analysis was used to estimate the independent association between parturition factors, hysterectomy, hormone use, and incontinence. RESULTS: Completed surveys were returned by 939 women (49%), 682 of whom reported at least one episode of incontinence in the past 12 months or ever having been treated for incontinence. On univariate analysis, women with incontinence were more likely to be white and heavier and to have had a hysterectomy before age 45, at least one live birth, a postdate (at least 42 weeks' gestation) birth, a labor lasting longer than 24 hours, and exposure to oxytocin. The risk of incontinence increased significantly with the number of exposures to oxytocin. In a multivariate model including age, there was a significant association between incontinence and white race (odds ratio [OR] 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2, 2.8), body mass (OR for fourth quartile 3.0, 95% CI 1.8, 5.0), estrogen replacement (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3, 2.8) and oxytocin (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0, 3.6). Parity was also associated with incontinence (P < .05). CONCLUSION: This study supports previous findings of a positive association between urinary incontinence and body mass, parity, and use of estrogen. In addition, we found a significant independent association between exposure to oxytocin during labor and incontinence in later life.