Non-surgical Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Diagnosis and Comparative Effectiveness

In response to a request from the public, a systematic review of the clinical research was undertaken to determine what is known about the comparative effectiveness, benefits, and adverse effects of urinary incontinence (UI) interventions for women and the utility of methods for diagnosis and treatment evaluation. The systematic review included 905 publications presenting the results of clinical studies published from January 1990 through December 2011. The full report, listing all studies, is available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ui.cfm. This summary, based on the full report of research evidence, is provided to clinicians to inform discussions of options with patients and to assist in decisionmaking along with consideration of a patient's values and preferences. However, reviews of evidence should not be construed to represent clinical recommendations or guidelines.