有很多关于女性尿失禁的流行病调查,但是结果不同。有一个研究对女性进行了长期的调查研究,涵盖了美国和欧洲的一共7个国家,发现各国家发病率相似,在43%-65%之间。[2]Sgadari A, Topinkovaa E, Bjornson J, et al. Urinary incontinence in nursing home residents: a cross-national comparison. Age Ageing. 1997;26:49-54.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9464555?tool=bestpractice.com研究还发现,根据不同人种来看,黑人(9%-50%),西班牙人(10%-42%),亚洲人(13%-52%)的发病率相对白人(17%-66%)更低。[3]Grodstein F, Fretts R, Lifford K, et al. Association of age, race, and obstetric history with urinary symptoms among women in the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;189:428-434.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14520212?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Sampselle CM, Harlow SD, Skurnick J, et al. Urinary incontinence predictors and life impact in ethnically diverse perimenopausal women. Obstet Gynecol. 2002;100:1230-1238.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12468167?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Nygaard I, Turvey C, Burns TL, et al. Urinary incontinence and depression in middle-aged United States women. Obstet Gynecol. 2003;101:149-156.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12517660?tool=bestpractice.com发病率在成年后会逐渐上升(20-24岁的女性发病率在10%),在50-70岁时发病率达到稳定水平,在70岁以后又会随年龄再次上升。[6]Anger JT, Saigal CS, Litwin MS, et al. The prevalence of urinary incontinence among community dwelling adult women: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Urol. 2006;175:601-604.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16407004?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Hannestad YS, Rortveit G, Sadvik H, et al. A community-based epidemiologic survey of female urinary incontinence. The Norwegian EPICONT Study. J Clin Epidemiol. 2000;53:1150-1157.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11106889?tool=bestpractice.com
在美国,社区中有 5%-69% 的女性受此病困扰,而养老院中女性患病率高达 78%。[8]Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury S, et al (eds); European Association of Urology; International Consultation on Urological Diseases. Incontinence. Fifth International Consultation on Incontinence, Paris. February 2013. http://www.icud.info/incontinence.html (last accessed 12 October 2016).http://www.icud.info/PDFs/INCONTINENCE%202013.pdf在美国每年总的估计直接投入要超过160亿美元,比每年乳腺癌、卵巢癌、宫颈癌和子宫癌联合的投入还要多。[9]Wilson L, Park GE, Luc KO, et al. Annual direct costs of urinary incontinence. Obstet Gynecol. 2001;98:398-406.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11530119?tool=bestpractice.com每年每位女性尿失禁患者的常规医疗花费估计高达900美元。[10]Subak LL, Brown JS, Kraus SR, et al. The "costs" of urinary incontinence for women. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;107:908-916.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16582131?tool=bestpractice.com另外,这种病对生活质量的影响就像其它好多慢性病一样严重,如慢性阻塞性肺病,骨关节炎,中风等。随着人们收入的提高和对生活质量要求的提高,人们愿意投入更多的钱去改善尿失禁状况。[10]Subak LL, Brown JS, Kraus SR, et al. The "costs" of urinary incontinence for women. Obstet Gynecol. 2006;107:908-916.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16582131?tool=bestpractice.com每4个女性中就会有1个人去寻求专业的健康咨询和帮助。随着病情的加重,女性寻求帮助的愿望也更迫切。