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Epidemiology of Urinary Incontinence/Epidemiology of Anal Incontinence
An initial review of the prevalence and severity of urinary and faecal incontinence within Australia provided a discussion of the epidemiology of both urinary and faecal incontinence together with a systematic review of their prevalence within the community. The reports provided estimates of:
the prevalence of urinary and faecal incontinence within the overall Australian population
- age/gender segments within the population
- risk factors for incontinence
- meta-analysis of incontinence prevalence estimates, and
- recommendations for studies to reliably and validly determine the prevalence of incontinence within the Australian population
The results from this early work indicated that over two million Australians, including about one third of adult women, are estimated to have some degree of incontinence with the prevalence of incontinence increasing with age (Chiarelli, Bower, Wilson et al 2002). Prevalence amongst men is lower with 3.1% - 9% of the male population estimated to have a significant issue with incontinence (described as 'leaking often', 'substantially dissatisfied with their urinary symptoms' or requiring incontinence aids) (Millard, Chiarelli et al 2001). Prevalence was found to be higher amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Millard, Chiarelli et al (2001, p. 64) reported that the prevalence of urinary incontinence amongst Aboriginal women living in rural settings could be as high as 54%.
However, Chiarelli, Bower, Wilson et al (2002) noted that caution is required with interpretation of the urinary incontinence prevalence data within the systematic review, with the results viewed as a conservative estimate of the level of urinary incontinence within the population, as two significant Australian studies were omitted because of unavailability and data incompatibility. Additional research by Moore et al (2004) also indicated caution as precise prevalence data on incontinence is difficult to obtain given that invasive urodynamic studies are required to accurately sub-classify the various causes.
You can download a copy of the reports:
- The prevalence of urinary incontinence within the community: a systematic review
- The prevalence of faecal incontinence: a systematic review
References
Millard, R., Chiarelli, P., Bower, W., Szonyi, G., Talley, N. (2001). The epidemiology of urinary and anal incontinence. A report prepared in three parts (Executive Summary, Part A and Part B) for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Chiarelli, P., Bower, W., Attia, J., Sibbrit, D., Wilson, A. (2002). The prevalence of faecal incontinence: a systematic review. Report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Chiarelli, P., Bower, W., Wilson, A., Sibbrit, D., Attia, J. (2002). The prevalence of urinary incontinence within the community: A systematic review. Report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Page last updated 4 Feb 2009