American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 201, Issue 5 , Pages 510.e1-510.e6, November 2009

Racial differences in bother for women with urinary incontinence in the Establishing the Prevalence of Incontinence (EPI) study

Presented at the 35th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, New Orleans, LA, March 30-April 1, 2009.

  • Christina Lewicky-Gaupp, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
    • ,
  • Cynthia Brincat, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
    • ,
  • Elisa R. Trowbridge, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
    • ,
  • John O.L. DeLancey, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
    • ,
  • Kenneth Guire, MA

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
    • ,
  • Divya A. Patel, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
    • ,
  • Dee E. Fenner, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI

Received 29 December 2008; received in revised form 27 April 2009; accepted 5 June 2009.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to compare differences in degree of bother in black and white women with urinary incontinence (UI).

Study Design

A population-based study was conducted in black and white women in Michigan. Participants completed an interview and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire short form (IIQ-7). Statistical analysis included 2-way analysis of variance for post hoc comparisons of IIQ-7 scores between races at different frequencies, amounts, and types of UI.

Results

Black women with moderate UI had significantly higher IIQ-7 scores than white women (31.4 ± 3.5 vs 23.7 ± 1.9; P = .03). Overall, black women with urge incontinence had higher scores than white women (30.5 ± 4.0 vs 21.0 ± 3.0; P = .05). After adjustment for severity, black women with urge and mixed incontinence tended to be more bothered (P = .06).

Conclusion

With moderate UI (not mild or severe), black women are more bothered than white women. At this discriminatory level of UI severity, racial differences are important, because they may dictate care-seeking behavior.

Key words: bother, race, urinary incontinence

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 Cite this article as: Lewicky-Gaupp C, Brincat C, Trowbridge ER, et al. Racial differences in bother for women with urinary incontinence in the Establishing the Prevalence of Incontinence (EPI) study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;201:510.e1-6.

 Reprints not available from the authors.

 This study was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grant R01 HD 041123.

PII: S0002-9378(09)00641-3

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.06.019

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 201, Issue 5 , Pages 510.e1-510.e6, November 2009

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