Predictors of improvement in urinary incontinence in the postacute setting: A Canadian cohort study

PURPOSE: To determine factors associated with improvement in urinary incontinence (UI) for long‐stay postacute, complex continuing care (CCC) patients. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort investigation of patients in a CCC setting using data obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's Continuing Care Reporting System collected with interRAI Minimum Data Set 2.0. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 18 years and older, were admitted to CCC hospitals in Ontario, Canada, between 2010 and 2018. METHODS: Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the independent effects of predictors on UI improvement, for patients who were somewhat or completely incontinent on admission and therefore had the potential for improvement. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 18 584 patients, 74% (13 779) of which were somewhat or completely incontinent upon admission. Among those patients with potential for improvement, receiving bladder training, starting a new medication 90 days prior (odds ratio, OR: 1.54 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.36–1.75]), and triggering the interRAI Urinary Incontinence Clinical Assessment Protocol to facilitate improvement (OR: 1.36 [95% CI: 1.08–1.71]) or to prevent decline (OR: 1.32 [95% CI: 1.13–1.53]) were the strongest predictors of improvement. Conversely, being totally dependent on others for transfer (OR: 0.62 [95% CI: 0.42–0.92]), is rarely or never understood (OR: 0.65 [95% CI: 0.50–0.85]), having a major comorbidity count of ≥3 (OR: 0.72 [95% CI: 0.59–0.88]), Parkinson's disease, OR: 0.77 (95% CI: 0.62–0.95), Alzheimer/other dementia, OR: 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74–0.93), and respiratory infections, OR: 0.57 (95% CI: 0.39–0.85) independently predicted less likelihood of improvement in UI. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings of this study suggest that improving physical function, including bed mobility, and providing bladder retraining have strong positive impacts on improvement in UI for postacute care patients. Evidence generated from this study provides useful care planning information for care providers in identifying patients and targeting the care that may lead to better success with the management of UI.