Urinary Incontinence Among Community-Dwelling Older Women: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Characterization of Clinical Features, Urinary Habits, and Perceptions

Background/Objective: Urinary incontinence (UI) negatively affects wellbeing. As it is often seen as a normal part of aging, management is frequently delayed or ignored, challenging healthy aging. This study aimed to characterize UI in community-dwelling older women by assessing sociodemographic aspects, symptoms, pelvic floor muscle strength, urinary habits, and perceptions regarding UI.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in older women from four communities in Chile. After educational sessions on UI, women voluntarily enrolled. We applied the ICIQ-SF, and pelvic floor muscle strength was evaluated using the Modified Oxford Scale. We also collected information on UI-related topics.