Objective: To determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence in a Northern Ireland community drawn from four neighbouring geographical areas and to assess factors predisposing to the development of urinary incontinence.
Subjects and methods: A three-page self-administered postal questionnaire was sent to 1050 women (age range 35-74 years), recruited randomly from a target population of 43 829 women. The main survey was preceded by a pilot survey. Respondents and those not responding were compared.
Results: The overall response rate was 65.6% (689/1050); there was no significant difference between respondents and those not responding. Two-hundred and thirty-one women (33.5%) reported incontinence 'sometimes' and 161 (23.4%) 'often'. Of those who had urinary incontinence, sanitary protection was required by 21.7% (85/392). This equates to 12.3% (85) of the total study population. Age (chi2=20.34; P<0.001) and parity (Mann-Whitney U-test, P< 0.001) were associated with urinary incontinence, with a higher proportion of women aged 45-54 years having urinary incontinence. The menopause and postnatal pelvic floor exercises were not associated with urinary incontinence. Overall 19.9% (78/392) of women with urinary incontinence had consulted their general practitioner. Of those who required sanitary protection, 40% (34/85) had consulted their doctor.
Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is common; it is sufficiently severe to require sanitary protection in 12% of women aged 35-74 years in a Northern Ireland community.