The Gerontologist, Vol 33, Issue 6 708-713, Copyright © 1993 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Measuring urinary incontinence in surveys

NH Fultz and AR Herzog
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48106- 1248.

This article discusses aspects of urinary incontinence that require special attention for valid survey measurement. Comments from incontinent older adults illustrate the difficulty of identifying, remembering, and reporting the condition given its gradual onset, episodic course, and embarrassing nature. Ideas for further research and some suggestions for improving the survey measurement of urinary incontinence are offered. Among these are that it be adequately introduced within survey interviews, and that survey questions reflect respondents' experiential knowledge of the condition.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Krause A Comprehensive Strategy for Developing Closed-Ended Survey Items for Use in Studies of Older Adults J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., September 1, 2002; 57(5): S263 - 274. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. McFall and A. M. Yerkes Targets, Messages, and Channels for Educational Interventions on Urinary Incontinence Journal of Applied Gerontology, December 1, 1998; 17(4): 403 - 418. [Abstract] [PDF]