Which demographic is more likely to seek care for stress incontinence?

The group that is more likely to seek care for stress incontinence is postmenopausal women. This condition is primarily linked to changes in the pelvic floor and urinary tract that can occur with aging and hormonal changes, particularly after menopause. During this life stage, women experience a decrease in estrogen levels, which can lead to weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and supportive tissues, making them more susceptible to stress incontinence. As a result, these women are more likely to recognize the symptoms and seek help from healthcare professionals to manage their condition.

In contrast, young men are generally less likely to experience stress incontinence, as it predominantly affects women, particularly those who have had children or gone through menopause. Teenagers typically have not yet experienced the physiological changes that lead to stress incontinence, and pregnant women might experience various forms of urinary incontinence, but it is not exclusively stress incontinence, and they may not seek care until postpartum. Thus, postmenopausal women represent the demographic most commonly addressing concerns related to this specific type of incontinence.