Lower urinary tract symptoms in Thai women attending the menopause clinic: prevalence and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and associated factors in women attending the menopause clinic.

METHOD

Nine hundred and fifty-six women attending the menopause clinic, Ramathibodi Hospital were interviewed regarding their general health issues and lower urinary tract symptoms by means of an anonymous questionnaire. Demographic data, obstetric history, and underlying diseases were analysed by using Student t-test, Chi-square and Fisher exact test. P < 0.05 was considered as a level of significance.

RESULTS

A total of 956 women, mean age 52.89 +/- 5.80 years, completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of stress incontinence, nocturia, urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence were 58.3%, 40.3%, 33.9%, 22.7%, and 6.6%, respectively. Lower urinary tract symptoms was found to be associated with marital status, coexisting medical diseases, menopausal status, previous term delivery, and vaginal delivery (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower urinary tract symptoms was a common problem among women attending the menopause clinic. Marital status, coexisting medical diseases, menopausal status, parity, and mode of delivery were associated with this problem.