Factors associated with the severity of urinary incontinence among older women at the Geriatric Day Care Clinic, Kuala Lumpur Hospital

This study examined differences in sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, body composition, and functional performance factors among older women according to the severity of urinary incontinence (UI), and determined which of these factors are associated with UI severity. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited women aged ≥60 years of multiple ethnicities from the Geriatric Day Care Clinic at Kuala Lumpur Hospital. A comprehensive assessment was conducted for sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, body composition, and functional performance measures. Data were analysed using independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for age, UI type, and both age and UI type. Four binary logistic regression models were developed: unadjusted, adjusted for age, adjusted for UI type, and adjusted for both age and UI type. Results: Among 209 participants (mean age = 67.6 ± 5.47 years), 77.5% (n = 162) had mild UI and 22.5% (n = 47) moderate UI. Significant differences were observed for age (p = 0.005), education (p = 0.015), marital status (p < 0.001), and occupation (p = 0.001). Binary logistic regression showed that history of falls, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), and polypharmacy were significantly associated with lower UI severity. Conversely, women with a history of vaginal delivery were nearly three times more likely to experience severe UI. Higher BMI increased the odds of severe UI, while greater upper limb muscle strength, indicated by handgrip strength, was protective. Poorer balance performance, reflected by longer Timed Up and Go (TUG) test times, was strongly linked to greater UI severity.