Analysis of the Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in Women Living in a Rural Commune

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common chronic diseases in women. It is estimated that around 17%-60% of women of different ages are affected in Poland [1,2]. Urinary incontinence involves an involuntary leakage of urine from the urethra in conditions associated with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, e.g., during coughing, exertion or sneezing, and affects women twice as often as men [3]. Research Aim: Analysis of the prevalence of urinary incontinence in women living in a rural commune. Materials and Methods: The group of research participants comprised 130 women, randomly selected and living in a rural commune in Wielkopolska Province. The respondents completed an anonymous survey containing 31 questions about urinary incontinence. The study was conducted at the patients’ houses, during appointments, and in a PHC nurse’s office. Results: The group of patients subjected to the study comprised 130 women of different ages. The most numerous group, 46.2% (n=60), consisted of women aged 30 to 60, 29.2% (n=38) were women over 60 years of age and 24.6% (n=32) were those under 30 years of age. From among the female population surveyed, urinary incontinence occurred in 50.7% (n=66), whereas 49.3% (n= 64) did not experience any UI. While analyzing the results regarding uncontrolled urinary incontinence, the researchers found that it had lasted for over 4 years in 22.3% (n = 29), from 3 to 4 years in 13.8% (n = 18), from 1 to 2 years in 10% (n = 13) and under a year in 4.6% (n = 6). The study showed a relationship between the occurrence of UI and selected variables such as age, BMI, and number of deliveries. Conclusions: • Urinary incontinence is common among the female population being studied, which confirms the thesis of a “silent epidemic”. • The factors predisposing to the occurrence of urinary incontinence among the women surveyed include age, BMI and the number of deliveries.