THE HORDALAND WOMEN'S COHORT STUDY. A planned 15-year (1997-2012) follow up incidence study of urinary incontinence, and associated factors

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common condition with a prevalence of about 25% of adult women, that affects the physical, psychosocial, and economic well-being. Longitudinal studies of incidence, remission and natural history are scarce. The Hordaland wo men's cohort study is an ongoing 15-year (1997-2012) follow up incidence study of UI and associated factors. The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) was conducted during 1997-99, 9 983 women participated, yielding a participation rate of 70 %. Every one in five women was randomly asked to be included in a women's cohort, thus creating a cohort of 2 230 women born in 1953-1957. More than 95% agreed, and the annual retraction rate has been close to 1%. The study has a wide variety of background variables, and als o blood samples stored in a biobank from all participants. The cohort is the largest so far to specifically look into these questions. In 2007 data are available for studying the set hypotheses: - What is the incidence and remission rates of UI in women 40-55 years of age? - What is the impact of known risk factors, hormonal factors, treatment and physical activity on incidence, remission and prevalence of UI in women 40-55 years of age? - What is the impact of unknown risk factors found in the data set on incidence, remission and prevalence of UI in women 40-55 years of age? - How is type and severity of UI influenced by incidence, remission and risk factors? The research group is based in a department at University of Bergen that was given the mark "e xcellent" in the 2004 evaluation by the Norwegian Research Council. The project has several parts: - Analyses of data from The Hordaland women's cohort study - Further basic support of the ongoing study