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Alcohol consumption and female urinary incontinence: A community‐based study in Japan
Author(s) -
Lee Andy H,
Hirayama Fumi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1442-2042
pISSN - 0919-8172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2011.02889.x
Subject(s) - medicine , urinary incontinence , confidence interval , odds ratio , alcohol consumption , urine , urinary system , statistical significance , risk factor , relative risk , alcohol , demography , environmental health , surgery , chemistry , biochemistry , sociology
Objectives: To investigate the association between alcohol consumption and urinary incontinence among Japanese women. Methods: A total of 300 women aged 40–75 years were recruited from the community in middle and southern Japan. A validated food frequency questionnaire was given face‐to‐face to obtain information on dietary intake and habitual alcohol consumption. Urinary incontinence status was ascertained using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Short Form. Results: Among the 298 eligible participants, 82 women (27.5%) experienced urine leakage. The prevalence of alcohol drinking and mean ethanol intake were slightly higher among the incontinent women (39%; 7.1, standard deviation 24.1 g/day) than others without the condition (35.6%; 4.3, standard deviation 10.7 g/day). Relative to non‐drinkers, the adjusted odds ratios of urinary incontinence were 1.31 (95% confidence interval 0.74–2.33) for alcohol drinking and 1.69 (95% confidence interval 0.42–6.81) for ethanol intake over 32 g/day, though the increases in risk did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Little association is evident between alcohol consumption and urinary incontinence in middle‐aged and older Japanese women. Further studies are required to define the role of alcohol as a contributing factor of this distressing condition.