Prevalence of urinary incontinence among Spanish older people living at home.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and characteristics of urinary incontinence (UI) in the noninstitutionalized elderly population of Madrid, Spain. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study in a representative sample of all community-dwelling people aged 65 or over. Subjects were interviewed in their homes. The question: Do you currently experience any difficulty in controlling your urine? . In other words, does your urine escape involuntarily? was used to identify UI. Type of UI, use of absorbents and specific drugs were also assessed, as well as consultation behavior. RESULTS: 589 persons were interviewed (response rate: 71.2%). The prevalence of UI was 15.5%. No significant difference was observed between men and women. Urge UI was the main type for men and mixed UI for women. Use of pads was referred by 20.2%. A total of 34.3% of subjects never went to the doctor for their problem (25.2% of men and 39.4% of women). CONCLUSION: Compared to other populations the overall prevalence of UI in Spanish elders living at home is relatively high. A very small difference by gender was found, although a lower response rate in women could in part explain this unexpected finding.