Epidemiology, progression, and predictive factors of urinary incontinence in older community-dwelling Mexican adults: Longitudinal data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study

Aims To understand the epidemiology, progression, and predictive factors of urinary incontinence (UI) in community‐dwelling Mexican adults aged ≥ 50 by sex and UI subtypes (stress, urge, and mixed). Methods We analyzed longitudinal UI data in community‐dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 (7783 women and 5843 men) for the 2012 to 2015 period of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. We estimated mixed, stress, and urgency incontinence prevalence (2012); 2‐year cumulative incidence and remissions (2015); and progression (2012‐2015). A multivariate analysis was undertaken to evaluate the predictive factors for UI and its subtypes by sex. Results The prevalence of UI was higher (27.7%) for women (average age 65.9 ± 9.5) than 12.5% men (average age 67.4 ± 9.3) and increased with age in both sexes (26.7% in women 50 to 59, to 48.5% in ≥ 90; and 6.8% in men 50 to 59, to 26.2% ≥ 90). The most frequent UI subtypes were mixed in women and urge in men. The cumulative incidence of UI was higher in women (22.9%) than men (12.3%) while its remission was higher in men than women. Predictive factors for UI in both sexes were depressive symptoms, a higher number of concomitant diseases and a history of falls; while advanced age was a factor only for men. Conclusions UI is a common health problem and its prevalence and severity increase with age. Addressing modifiable risk factors such as depression and falls could decrease the prevalence and incidence of UI and its subtypes. Further studies should also focus on the relationship between mixed UI and male mortality.