Disabling conditions related to urinary incontinence in older women

[[abstract]]Urinary incontinence (UI) is a one of the main geriatric syndromes in older women. UI has been associated with potentially debilitating consequences. However, the relationship between UI and different patterns of disability is less well understood. Methods: Participants (> 60 years, N=970) were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2002.UI and disability were assessed by questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations between UI and the fives outcomes of interest: activities of daily living (ADL) disability, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability, general physical dysfunction, lower extremities immobility, and leisure and social activities difficulty. Results and conclusion: 59.6% women reported having UI. Subjects incontinent at baseline were more likely to have ADL disability (40.7% vs22.7%; unadjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.33, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.75-3.11), IADL disability (46.9% vs 29.3%;OR=2.12, 95% CI=1.61-2.78), general physical dysfunction(78.2% vs 60%; OR=2.54, 95% CI =1.90-3.39), lower extremities immobility (41.7% vs 32.1%; OR=1.88, 95%CI=1.42-2.49 ),and leisure and social activities difficulty(34.8% vs 24.5%; OR=1.65, 95% CI=1.24-2.20). After fully adjusted for covariates, UI appears to be an independent risk factor for lower extremities immobility (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.03, 95% CI=1.42-2.90). Although UI is associated with ADL disability (AOR =2.27, 95% CI=1.60-3.22), IADL disability (AOR=2.02, 95% CI=1.44-2.85), and general physical dysfunction (AOR=2.22, 95% CI=1.56-3.16), it reduced the strength of association after adjustment. Consistent with previous studies, UI is not a strong independent risk factor for leisure and social activities difficulty (AOR=1.41, 95% CI=0.97-2.06)