The Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence and Use of Incontinence Aids in 85-year-old Men and Women

Abstract

The prevalence of urinary incontinence and the use of incontinence aids was investigated in 85-year-old men and women resident in the city of GÖteborg. The overall prevalence of urinary incontinence was 37.2%. Urinary incontinence was more prevalent (p < 0.001) in women (43.2%) than men (24.0%), and in residents of a nursing home or hospital (83.9%) than in men and women living at home (29.4%). Urinary incontinence was more commonly encountered in men with neurological (p < 0.001) and respiratory (p<0.05) illnesses, and in women suffering from cardiovascular (p < 0.05), neurological (p< 0.001) and urogenital (p<0.01) illnesses. Incontinence aids were used more often (p < 0.001) by incontinent women (67.9%) than men (42.9%) living in the community, and were used by 86.4% of the incontinent men and 91.5% of the incontinent women living in an institution. Pads were the commonest form of incontinence aid used, irrespective of whether the men and women lived in the community or in an institution. Indwelling urinary catheters were used by only 2% of the 85-year-old men and women.