Urge urinary incontinence was associated with increased risk of falls and non-spinal, non-traumatic fractures in older women
QUESTION: In community dwelling older white women, does weekly or more frequent urge and stress urinary incontinence increase risk of falls and non-spinal, non-traumatic fractures?
Design
Cohort study with mean follow up of 3 years (Study of Osteoporotic Fractures [SOF]).
Setting
4 clinical care centres in Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, USA.
Participants
6049 community dwelling, ambulatory, white women who were ≥65 years of age (mean age 79 y), attended 5 SOF clinic or home visits, completed a physical examination and self administered questionnaire, provided data on urinary incontinence, and returned ≥1 postcard reporting falls after visit 5. Institutionalised women were excluded.
Assessment of risk factors
Live births; hysterectomy status; smoking status; alcohol use; walking; total weekly excursions outside of the home; medical history including hip or knee replacement, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, or arthritis; self reported joint pain; falls within the …
