Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2002 Dec;8(4):529-537.

Overactive Bladder and Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Prevalence and Effects on Daily Life and Sexual Activity

• Kim JI
• Kim YH
• Ahn HC

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, relative factor and the effects that overactive bladder or urinary incontinence have on women's lives. Data was gathered through an internet survey. The subjects included 3,372 women ranging from 20 years old to 49 years of age. The questionnaire included general characteristics (age, parity, family history, and history of UTI), overactive bladder symptoms (urgency, frequency, nocturia, urgent incontinence), urinary incontinence, discomfort in ADL and sexual activity. The data was analyzed by the SPSS/PC+ program using frequency, X(2) test, and multi- variate logistic regression. The results were as follows; 1. The prevalence was 12.7 % in overactive bladder and 21.0% in urinary incontinence. 2. 19.2% of the subject have urge incontinence, 5% of them have coped with the use of a pad. 3. The significant factors to overactive bladder were age(X(2)= 6.6, p<0.05), history of urinary tract infection (X(2)= 50.8, p<0.01) and family history (X(2)= 26.1, p<0.01). The significant factors to urinary incontinence were age (X(2)= 6.2, p<0.05), occupation (X(2)=11.0, p<0.05), history of urinary tract infection(X(2)= 20.2, p<0.01), parity (X(2)= 8.6, p<0.01), and family history (X(2)= 4.9, p<0.05). 4. Overactive bladder impacts on individual daily life was 5.0 times, urinary incontinence was 2.9 times higher than in non-symptoms. Also, overactive bladder impacts on their sexual activity disturbance was 4.3 times, urinary incontinence has 3.9 times higher than in non-symptoms. In conclusion, overactive bladder symptoms and urinary incontinence were health problems that disturbed women's lives. Also the most problem among overactive bladder may be urgency in Korean. Intervention based on these results needs to be provided for these women.

Keyword

Overactive bladder; Urinary Inconinence; Women; Prevalence

MeSH Terms

Activities of Daily Living
Adult*
Female
Humans
Internet
Logistic Models
Nocturia
Occupations
Parity
Prevalence*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Sexual Behavior*
Urinary Bladder, Overactive*
Urinary Incontinence*
Urinary Incontinence, Urge
Urinary Tract
Urinary Tract Infections
Young Adult