ABSTRACT

Objective: It was aimed to define the prevalence of urinary incontinence in the female population aged 15 and over in Kahramanmaraş province and to investigate the factors associated with urinary incontinence with a questionnaire. Thus, the importance and psychosocial consequences of urinary incontinence, which is a social health problem, were evaluated.

Material and Methods: Scans were made in four different regions determined according to socioeconomic status. These regions were from low to high socioeconomic level, respectively, 4th region: Tekke health center and its neighborhoods, 3rd region: Yavuz Selim health center and its neighborhoods, 2nd region: Dumlupınar health center and its neighborhoods, 1st region: Fatih healthcare and its neighborhoods. Five thousand women residing in these areas were surveyed by nurses and surveyors. 4506 women answered the questions.

Results: The prevalence of urinary incontinence in the population was 18.8% (850/4506). 13% (594/4506) had enuresis nocturna before the age of 15, and 73.6% (622/850) of incontinent women had stress incontinence; 72% (609/850) had urge incontinence; It was determined that 38.5% (321/850) were consulted by a doctor and 42.7% (363/850) of them received medical, surgical or rehabilitation treatment. 59.3% (515/850) of those with urinary incontinence described themselves as angry and nervous; 25.3% (233/850) used antidepressant drugs; 89.1% (771/850) stated that they were sexually active, and 41.5% (441/850) stated that they felt pain during sexual intercourse. BMI (Body Muscle Index) was correlated in all incontinence types and inversely correlated with education level.

Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is an important problem that is common in women and its prevalence increases with age. The effect of urinary incontinence on quality of life shows that we need to pay more attention to this problem.

Keywords: Urinary incontinency, prevalence, urge incontinency, stress incontinency, mixed type incon- tinency