Urinary incontinence among community-dwelling older females.

摘要

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common problem among community-dwelling older females. Many of these women may not be disclosing the UI to their healthcare providers. This descriptive, correlational study sought to determine the prevalence of UI among older community-dwelling females, the prevalence of non-disclosure of UI, and if relationships existed between either severity of UI or knowledge of UI and the disclosure of UI. The Urinary Incontinence Screening Survey (UISS) was mailed to 519 potential participants. This study identified a UI prevalence rate of 70% among 187 community-dwelling older women. The sample was 99% Caucasian and the mean age was 71.49 years (SD 8.570). Fifty-four percent of the women with incontinence reported that they had not told their healthcare provider about the UI. Severity of UI was found to be significantly related to disclosure. Knowledge of UI and the aging process was not found to be significantly related to disclosure.