Urinary Tract Infections Amongst Adults With Intellectual Disabilities With Urinary Incontinence

Background: Between 26% and 52% of adults with intellectual disability experience urinary incontinence (UI). Little is known about the implications of urinary tract infections (UTIs) for this group. The aim was to screen for UTIs in a sample of adults with intellectual disability and UI. Method: Twenty adults with intellectual disability and UI recruited via community intellectual disability health care teams and provided a urine sample. Each sample was tested for the presence of UTI bacteria. Results: Half of the sample were found to have a possible or probable UTI. Nine adults had also been treated for a UTI within the previous 12 months; six adults had more than once. Conclusion: UTIs appear to be very common amongst adults with intellectual disability and UI, and careful attention to UTI symptoms, screening and treatment options for this group are recommended. Larger studies on UTI prevalence and associated factors are also warranted.