Prevalence and risk factors of stress urinary incontinence in a 2023 Japanese community health survey - differences between males and females

Objectives

The aim of the present epidemiological study was to evaluate the sex-related prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and the associated factors using data from the 2023 Japan Community Health Survey.

Methods

We investigated 3097 males and 3056 females aged 20–99 years. All participants answered web-based questionnaires on their health status and lower urinary tract symptoms. Data on the frequency of SUI, comorbidities and health-related behaviour were extracted. The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to evaluate the trend between the prevalence of SUI and age. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with SUI.

Results

SUI was consistently observed in about 10% of individuals in their 20s and 30s, including in males. There were no age-related differences in the prevalence of SUI in males (P = 0.55). In females, the prevalence of SUI statistically significantly increased with age (P < 0.0001). The frequency of SUI was, however, low in both sexes. Drinking habits (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.10–1.87) and frequent spicy food intake (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.19–2.01) were associated with SUI only in males. Age (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13–1.62), BMI (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.50–2.32) and history of vaginal delivery (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.77–2.63) were only associated with SUI in females.

Conclusions

Although the frequency of SUI was low in both sexes, the correlation between the prevalence of SUI and age was different between both sexes. Female SUI might involve weakness of the pelvic floor muscle, while male SUI might be affected by health-related behaviours.