EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF FEMALE URINARY INCONTINENCE: A PROFILE OF PATIENTS IN A CITY IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PARANÁ AND THE REGION

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.0159652616048

• Palavras-chave: Female urinary incontinence; lower urinary tract; urinary urgency; stress urinary incontinence; urogynecology.

• Keywords: Female urinary incontinence; lower urinary tract; urinary urgency; stress urinary incontinence; urogynecology.

• Abstract:

  Introduction: Female urinary incontinence is defined as any involuntary loss of urine, which may occur in association with exertion, be preceded by urinary urgency, or present in a mixed form. It is a multifactorial condition with high prevalence and is frequently underdiagnosed, having a significant impact on the quality of life, autonomy, and safety of affected women. Objective: To analyze epidemiological characteristics, associated conditions, clinical data, and aggravating factors in patients with urinary incontinence treated at a health clinic in Guarapuava, Paraná. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational, quantitative, retrospective, and descriptive study based on the analysis of questionnaires administered to 29 female patients, aged 20 to 80 years, residing in Guarapuava and the surrounding region, with symptoms of urinary incontinence. General characteristics, body mass index, comorbidities, urinary symptoms, lifestyle habits, history of urinary tract infection, previous pregnancies, and gestational status were assessed. Numerical variables were described using measures of central tendency and dispersion; categorical variables were presented as absolute and relative frequencies. Fisher’s exact test, the Mann-Whitney U test, phi coefficient, Spearman’s correlation, and the Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment were used to control the false discovery rate. Results: The sample showed a higher concentration of participants aged 35 to 50 years, with an approximate mean age in the fourth decade of life. Systemic arterial hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity, although the group without associated comorbidities predominated. A trend toward greater diversity and complexity of comorbidities was observed with advancing age, along with a higher concentration of clinical conditions in participants with elevated BMI. There was a high frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms, as well as potentially modifiable factors such as coffee consumption, physical inactivity, and obesity. The presence of comorbidities was associated with stress urinary incontinence in Fisher’s exact test, with a moderate to high effect size. Age differed significantly between the groups with and without stress urinary incontinence, and there was a moderate positive correlation between age and number of previous pregnancies. Conclusion: Female urinary incontinence in the studied sample from the “ ” presented a multifactorial profile related to age, comorbidities, BMI, pregnancy history, and lifestyle habits. Early identification of symptoms and associated factors is essential to guide individualized preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies, with the potential to positively impact patients’ quality of life.