Urinary incontinence (UI) is a significant health issue that affects many healthcare professionals, particularly female nurses and other female healthcare professionals. The reported prevalence of female healthcare professionals’ UI varies considerably depending on the study methodology and population characteristics. However, there is evidence that individual characteristics such as age, obesity, parity, medical conditions, behavioral factors, knowledge, and attitudes toward UI are all linked to a higher risk of UI among healthcare professionals (1). Therefore, this study aimed to assess UI’s prevalence, severity, and risk factors among female healthcare professionals in primary healthcare facilities.

The study was a pilot cross-sectional study that followed STROBE guidelines and included 265 female primary healthcare professionals (n = 175 nurses and n = 90 physicians) from Novi Sad, Serbia.
Female primary healthcare professionals completed a paper-based survey. A general questionnaire gathered data on risk factors such as age, parity, menopause, hormone therapy, smoking, obesity, constipation, and recurrent urinary infections. The Incontinence Quiz (IQ) and Urinary Incontinence Attitude Scale (UIAS) were also used. In the past four weeks, the Serbian version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - short form (ICIQ-UI-SF) was used to evaluate UI’s presence, severity, and impact. The study was conducted following ethical principles for the protection of human subjects. Approval was obtained from the Faculty of Medicine Commission for the Ethics of Clinical Research, the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

The healthcare professionals had an average age of 44.9 ± 12.1 years. Of the participants, 6.8% were nulliparous, while 52.1% were multiparous, 75.5% of whom had vaginal deliveries, with episiotomy in 76.9% of cases. Postmenopausal healthcare professionals comprised 33.2%, with 4.2% having used hormone replacement therapy. Additionally, 25.7% were overweight, 34.3% smoked, 7.5% had chronic constipation, and 15.8% experienced recurrent UTIs. The mean IQ score was 7.4±2.7 out of 14, and the UIAS score averaged 39.3±6.6 out of 60. UI prevalence was 37.4%, with 25.3% reporting mild, 9.1% moderate, and 3.0% severe UI. Age was significantly correlated with UI (r=0.179, p=0.003).

A prevalence study in Turkey found that 21.5% of hospital nurses had some form of UI, of whom only one in six sought treatments (2). The cross-sectional survey in Australia revealed that overall, the prevalence of UI was 32.0% (3). A different study confirmed that UI was more prevalent among older nurses and midwives, with severe UI associated with an increased intention to leave the current job (3). Our study showed a prevalence of 37.4% among Serbian healthcare professionals, while we have no data how many of those actually sought help with UI.

This study confirmed a significant prevalence of mild to moderate UI among middle-aged female primary healthcare professionals, alongside insufficient knowledge and ambivalent attitudes toward UI. Although UI is linked to aging, it should not be seen as a normal part of the aging process. Due to their pivotal role, more information and support are needed to encourage nurses and physicians to seek treatment, improving their quality of life and skills to manage UI within the community.

1.	Aránguiz-Ramírez J, Olivares-Tirado P, Baeza-Correa C, Castells X. Urinary incontinence in health workers as a predisposing factor for presenteeism in Chile: A mixed-methods exploratory study. Medwave. 2024 Feb 27;24(1):e2779. English, Spanish. doi: 10.5867/medwave.2024.01.2779.
2.	Zhang X, Li M, Dong W, Lv X, Li L, Yang X, Cao Y. Prevalence and influencing factors of lower urinary tract symptoms in female nurses: a cross-sectional study based on TARGET. Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 19;11:1201184. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1201184.
3.	Pierce H, Perry L, Gallagher R, Chiarelli P. Urinary incontinence, work, and intention to leave current job: A cross sectional survey of the Australian nursing and midwifery workforce. Neurourol Urodyn. 2017 Sep;36(7):1876-1883. doi: 10.1002/nau.23202