Prevalence of nocturnal enuresis and associated familial factors in primary school children in Taiwan

Purpose: We investigated the prevalence and associated factors of nocturnal enuresis in children in elementary schools in Taiwan. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of nocturnal enuresis in Taiwanese school children was performed in 10 primary schools in Tao-Yuan County, Taiwan. Questionnaires on demographic data, familial and physical conditions were completed by 7,225 children assisted by their parents. Results: The overall prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in Taiwanese primary school children was 5.5%. Decreasing age, male gender, family size, birth rank, parental education level and parental raising style were possible familial risk factors for nocturnal enuresis in this study. Conclusions: The study indicates a prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in the Taiwanese population comparable to that in western populations, showing that nocturnal enuresis is an international problem that should be considered seriously. Findings of familial factors associated with nocturnal enuresis provide a clue for future studies of psychosocial factors in different cultural societies and their intervention.