Prevalence and Impact of Urinary Incontinence on the Capacity and Performance of Chilean Women: A Secondary Analysis of the III Estudio Nacional de la Discapacidad en Chile National Survey.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Urinary incontinence (UI) affects various aspects of women's lives, limiting activity and social participation. Despite its impact, data from Latin American populations remain scarce. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of UI among Chilean women and its association with capacity and performance, as well as related factors.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of the 2022 III Estudio Nacional de la Discapacidad en Chile (III ENDISC), a population-based household survey. The analysis included 17,314 women aged 18 or older. UI was identified via self-report: "Do you experience urinary incontinence?". Capacity and performance were assessed using the Model Disability Survey (MDS), performance represents the ability to carry out tasks in one's usual environment, and capacity would be related to the execution of tasks in standardized environments, with scores from 0 to 100 (higher scores = worse functioning). Means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and generalized linear models estimated associations using arithmetic mean ratios (AMRs).

RESULTS

The overall self-reported UI prevalence was 3.4% (95% CI 3.13-3.81; n = 621), considering 16 regions of Chile, ranging from 0.8% to 52.7%, the highest being in the metropolitan region of Santiago. Higher UI rates were observed in women over 65, with lower education, worse self-perceived health, and those not working. Unadjusted models showed women with UI had a 62% higher risk for reduced capacity and 114% higher for reduced performance. However, after adjustment for age, health perception, and comorbidities, UI was no longer statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Although women with UI showed worse functioning, this health condition was not an independent predictor after multivariable adjustment, the disability being influenced by other factors such as age and health conditions. These findings underscore the importance of addressing UI and its associated comorbidities in public health strategies.