一項多國研究估計全球大約有三億五千萬人有尿失禁，同時也證實了老年人相較於年輕人以及女性相較於男性更容易有尿失禁，超過六十歲的女性尿失禁盛行率達20%，超過六十五歲的女性尿失禁盛行率更是高達39%。研究統計指出，尿失禁的盛行率會隨著年紀的增長逐漸遞加，因此普遍會讓尿失禁被認為是一種老化的症兆，讓人們覺得年紀大了有尿失禁是件正常的事。研究發現有尿失禁的年長者在尋求協助的模式是不一致的。年長者往往比年輕人更少尋求協助，年長女性又比年長男性更少。另一項研究卻發現年長女性比年輕女性更容易尋求醫療協助，該篇文章作者對此提出解釋：年長者更容易有合併症的產生，而常與健康照護者接觸，因此其尿失禁的問題較容易被解決。但是，許多年長者仍不尋求協助，即使尿失禁會影響生活品質、自信心、社會功能等等，近期研究指出有壓力型尿失禁的有些婦女會拖延會診與治療超過十年。

在英國，由三個族群去探討有尿失禁症狀的年長者在尋求醫療協助的想法，大致上以受訪者性別、年齡、種族、最高學歷、職業、生活品質、過去四個星期漏尿的頻率、過去四個星期每次漏尿的量、尿失禁對其生活的影響程度等等做出評估，為一半開放性研究。受訪者態度大致可被分成三種情況1.被醫療提供者忽略2.隱忍著3.認為是該對尿失禁做些處理了。

在本文實驗的訪談對象中，將其問題擱置者，可能是在向專業人員求助時有了不好經驗，例如三番兩次向專業人員提起自己有尿失禁的問題，但仍受到忽略；而選擇隱忍者並未尋求協助，可分為以下幾種原因：1.認為尿失禁是件丟臉的事，而不願意向專業人員透漏此困擾2.有尿失禁是老化的正常表現的謬思3.不知道有尿失禁可以治療4.以其他方式解決問題:例如穿戴成人紙尿褲等；會付諸行動的年長者，往往是經歷了例如大庭廣眾之下尿失禁或是認定尿失禁是會威脅到其生命的狀況下才會去尋求協助。

有尿失禁症狀的年長者的生活品質、自信心、往往會大幅下降，要積極提升第一線醫療照護者以及有尿失禁的年長者對於尿失禁是可以被有效治療的，而且不能認為是因為年紀大就會產生的必然現象有更進一步的了解。

雖然本文的採樣樣本多數為白人女性，受到了性別和種族的影響，但這項研究也可以作為台灣民眾的參考，我們該向專業人員與民眾宣導正確的觀念、建置評估標準，例如建立表單、問卷，以利民眾自行評估是否有尿失禁，亦是有利於健康照護專員在遇到年長者時能第一時間就作出評估，並且引導協助他們辨識、評定進而治療尿失禁。也就是說，透過這篇研究，尿失禁的發現與治療不全然是因為患者本身的問題，醫療照護提供者或是家屬更是應該積極介入並發現的責任，唯有醫病關係之間的真心關懷才能協助這些有尿失禁年長者擁有更好的生活品質。

摘要
The prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) increases with age and can negatively affect quality of life. However, relatively few older people with UI seek treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the views of older people with UI on the process of seeking help. Older people with UI were recruited to the study from three continence services in the north of England: a geriatrician-led hospital outpatient clinic (n = 18), a community-based nurse-led service (n = 22) and a consultant gynaecologist-led service specialising in surgical treatment (n = 10).
Participants took part in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and underwent thematic content analysis. Three main themes emerged: Being brushed aside, in which participants expressed the feeling that general practitioners did not prioritise or recognise their concerns; Putting up with it, in which participants delayed seeking help for their UI due to various reasons including embarrassment, the development of coping mechanisms, perceiving UI as a normal part of the ageing process, or being unaware that help was available; and Something has to be done, in which help-seeking was prompted by the recognition that their UI was a serious problem, whether as a result of experiencing UI in public, the remark of a relative, the belief that they had a serious illness or the detection of UI during comprehensive geriatric assessment. Greater awareness that UI is a treatable condition and not a normal part of ageing is needed in the population and among health professionals. Comprehensive geriatric assessment appeared an important trigger for referral and treatment in our participants. Screening questions by healthcare professionals could be a means to identify, assess and treat older people with UI.