Distribution of Urinary Incontinence Subtypes and Their Associated Factors Among Women Attending a Tertiary Care Centre in the UAE

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common problem in women and can have negative effects on physical, psychological, social and sexual health. There is limited evidence on its distribution and associated factors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of UI subtypes and to study the association of UI with selected sociodemographic, obstetric and gynaecological factors among women attending a tertiary care center in the UAE. A retrospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Ajman, UAE, utilising the medical records of women with documented or reported UI from January 2021 to January 2026. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, obstetric, and gynaecological data were extracted by a structured proforma and reviewed by a specialist. Associations between categorical variables and UI subtype were evaluated using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Among the 210 women included, the most common subtype was SUI (40.5%), followed by UUI (32.4%) and MUI (27.1%). Age was significantly associated with UI subtype (p = 0.012). SUI was more common in women aged 30–49 years and MUI in those aged ≥50 years. Subtype was also significantly associated with menopausal status (p = 0.012) and pelvic organ prolapse (p = 0.002). Nationality, BMI, parity, mode of delivery and pelvic surgery were not significantly associated. Early identification and focused evaluation may allow for timely intervention. More generalisable estimates of UAE will require prospective multicentre studies.