Abstract

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI), is characterized by the involuntary release of urine. It is increasingly prevalent among older people, further increasing their health and economic burden. It affects both men and women, but it is more prevalent in older women.  
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of UI among older women visiting primary health care centers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and to identify the associated risk factors. 
Results: The study included 390 older women, most of them being 60–69 years old. Most married women had children. Most participants had children, with 72.30% having ≥4 children, and more than half were through natural delivery (61.5%). Furthermore, 34.1% of the participants were overweight, and 62.3% reported experiencing UI, most of whom (74.9%) reported urge-only or urge-predominant leakage—i.e., they experienced leakage when they felt the urge to empty their bladder but could not get to the toilet fast enough. Bivariate analysis revealed the following factors to be associated with UI: marital status, Family history of UI, parity, mode of delivery, and BMI (all p < 0.001). The risk factors for women with UI were: family history of UI (odds ratio (OR) = 9.63, 95% CI: 2.51-36.96; P= 0.001), parity (≥4 children) (OR = 6.06, 95% CI: 3.00-12.30; P < 0.001), parity (1-3 children) (OR = 3.91, 95% CI: 1.70-8.97; P= 0.001), and history of pelvic surgery (OR = 4.77, 95% CI: 1.54-21.2; P= 0.016).  
Conclusion: UI is prevalent among older women in primary healthcare centers in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Primary care physicians should consider actively screening older women for UI, especially since most women with UI may not seek medical help.

Keywords

Urinary incontinence, Primary healthcare, Elderly women, Primary healthcare centres, Pelvic surgery, Menopause.

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