Urinary Incontinence

The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative recommends screening women for urinary incontinence annually. Screening should assess whether women experience urinary incontinence and whether it impacts their activities and quality of life. If indicated, facilitating further evaluation and treatment is recommended.

Approximately 50% of women in the US experience urinary incontinence that can adversely affect health, quality of life, and function. Factors associated with urinary incontinence include increased parity, advancing age, and obesity; however, these factors are common and should not be used to limit screening. Because of the high prevalence of urinary incontinence in women and the potential benefits of early identification and intervention, education on urinary incontinence provided in the clinical setting may be appropriate.

Several screening tools demonstrate fair to high accuracy in identifying urinary incontinence in women. Although minimum screening intervals are unknown, given the prevalence of urinary incontinence, the fact that many women do not volunteer symptoms, and the multiple, frequently changing factors associated with incontinence, it is reasonable to screen annually.

1. Studies of the incidence and prevalence of urinary incontinence, including rates of screening and treatment, based on life stages (e.g., adolescence, reproductive age, postmenopausal, pregnant, postpartum) and population characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, gender identity, occupation).
2.  Studies of the effectiveness and harms of screening for urinary incontinence to improve symptoms, including studies to determine the most effective frequency and methods of screening and follow up.
3. Research on the effectiveness of behavior modification for conditions associated with urinary incontinence including alcohol and caffeine intake; constipation or straining; and weight loss for overweight or obese women, among others.
4. Research on the effectiveness of education and preventive strategies in reducing the development of urinary incontinence; identifying additional genitourinary conditions, and preventing progression of symptoms.
5. Studies of the accuracy of screening tools and effectiveness of symptom management of urinary incontinence during the early postpartum and postpartum periods.