E-Posters-10044_Avondstondt

10044_Avondstondt

Pdf Summary

This study aimed to investigate the association between urinary incontinence (UI) and frailty in older women. The researchers used data from the Women's Health Initiative - Observational Study (WHI-OS), which included 93,676 postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years. Participants completed questionnaires on demographics, medical conditions, and UI at baseline and year 3. Frailty was assessed using Fried's phenotype criteria, which includes weakness, slowness, exhaustion, low physical activity, and unintentional weight loss. <br /><br />The results showed that baseline UI was independently associated with baseline pre-frailty and frailty, as well as incident pre-frailty and frailty at year 3. The association between UI and frailty was stronger as the severity, bother, and impact of UI increased. Multiple imputation and propensity score analyses did not affect the results, and excluding women with a history of stroke did not change the findings. <br /><br />The study also found that UI was more common in older women with higher BMI, better education, higher income, and more comorbidities. These women were also more likely to experience difficulties with activities of daily living, depression, falls, and frailty. <br /><br />The researchers concluded that UI is a treatable condition and recognizing its association with frailty could have significant implications for improving the quality of life and slowing functional decline in older women. However, there were some limitations to the study, including the use of a non-validated UI screening questionnaire and differences in how frailty was defined.

Keywords

urinary incontinence

frailty

older women

Women's Health Initiative - Observational Study

Fried's phenotype criteria

pre-frailty

BMI

activities of daily living

treatable condition

quality of life