A recent study presented at the European Association of Urology Congress EAU21 has found that women who experience urinary incontinence were around 66% more likely to be diagnosed with depression and seek medical support for mental health reasons compared to women without incontinence.
The study, carried out by a team at University Hospital Centre of Sao Joao analysed data collected from a population-based survey overseen by the Portuguese Health Ministry. The team analysed data from around 10,000 women aged 18 years and older and compared trends associated to depression diagnoses, use of mental health consultations along with addictive behaviours associated with smoking and alcohol consumption.
The report found that around one in ten women under the age of 75 experienced urinary incontinence with figures rising to around four in ten for those aged over 75 years.
Although the study found no substantial variances in smoking or alcohol consumption between the two groups, it did find that women who did suffer from urinary incontinence were up to 65% more likely to report their health status as ‘bad’ and were more likely to experience feelings of low self-worth and guilt.
Lead urologist, Margarida Manso said, “The high levels of depression and low self-worth in women who reported having incontinence are very concerning. Urinary incontinence can be treated and although there are some potential side effects from treatment, for some women these may be preferable to the mental health impacts of the condition."
EAU Secretary-General, Professor Christopher Chapple from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said, "Urinary incontinence is an extremely important clinical condition which is often not recognised by doctors until patients have been suffering for some time. It has a devastating impact on anyone affected by it - predominantly women but also some men.
"However, in the majority of cases, urinary incontinence can be significantly improved or cured by the right treatment, based on clinical evaluation as detailed in the European Association of Urology 2021 Guidelines. It is important that patients with urinary incontinence are identified at an early stage after it develops and investigated and treated appropriately."
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