Prevalence of Incontinence During Rehabilitation in Patients Following a Stroke

Abstract

According to current studies, the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) ranges from 25% to 45%, while prevalence of poststroke or new-onset UI ranges from 21% to 56% and is higher among older adults. On admission to postacute rehabilitation, double incontinence (UI with fecal incontinence [FI]) is more prevalent (33%) than isolated UI (12%) and isolated FI (8%)-figures that decrease at discharge from stroke rehabilitation (double incontinence, 15%; isolated UI, 8%; isolated FI, 5%). Impaired awareness of UI is more prevalent (ranges from 12% in young old group to 58% in older age group) than urge UI (9-42%) and seems to be a more specific prognostic indicator of poor functional outcome. Therefore, rehabilitation professionals should place more attention on impaired awareness of the need to void and double incontinence during stroke rehabilitation.