Urinary incontinence in home care: a representative multicenter study on prevalence, severity, impact on quality of life, and risk factors

Objectives The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence and associated factors in patients receiving home care nursing service. Methods From June to September 2015, a multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 923 patients from 102 home care services throughout Germany. The ICIQ-SF was used to determine the characteristics of UI and its impact on QoL. To determine the risks for UI, demographic and social risks, the Barthel Index and medical diagnoses were determined in descriptive and logistic regression analysis. Results The prevalence of UI was 62.5% (95% CI 59.3-65.6). The most common reasons for UI were before getting to the toilet 27.6% and when coughing or sneezing 27.3%. If the amount of leakage was medium (high), the mean of the impact on QoL was 4.9, SD 2.7 (5.0, SD 3.6). If the frequency of UI was higher than once a day (permanent), the mean of the impact on QoL was 4.2, SD 2.7 (4.8, SD 3.2). The results of the logistic regression analysis show the highest odds ratios for mobility-inability to walk (4.49), presence of dementia (2.59), and female sex (1.81). The metric variables age (1.02), Barthel Index (0.93), and BMI (1.05) were also statistically significant. Conclusions The prevalence of UI in home care in Germany is high. Since UI is strongest associated with (im-) mobility, preserving or regaining patients' mobility should play a central role in providing care to avoid/minimize UI.