Urinary incontinence frequency, type, severity, and risk factors in female patients undergoing physical rehabilitation: A single center experience

Aim: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a health problem with important psychological, hygienic, and socio-economic consequences. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency, severity, and risk factors of urinary incontinence in women. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated the frequency and risk factors of UI in 62 women over the age of 18 who were referred to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic between August 2019 and February 2020. The data, socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and the results of the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6) were analyzed. Results: The mean age of 62 patients included in the study was 57.2 (15.4) years, with the mean duration of symptoms of 7.6 (4.82) years. Stress UI, urge UI and mixed UI were present in 28 (45.2%), 13 (20.9%), and 21 (33.9%) patients, respectively. UI was detected more frequently in patients over 40 years of age (30.6%) than in patients between the ages of 18 and 40 (69.4%) years, in those who gave birth at least once (80.7%) compared to those who had never given birth (19.3%), and in patients with Body Mass Index (BMI) values over 25 kg/m2 than in patients with BMIs between 18.5-25.0 kg/m2 (72.5% vs. 22.5%, respectively). Conclusion: UI is an important health problem which negatively affects the quality of life of many women. Various socio-demographic and medical factors affect the frequency of urinary incontinence. Therefore, especially the elderly patient group should be informed of the treatability of this condition and be directed to a physician.