Urinary Incontinence and Cognitive Function on Fall Risk in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Singapadu

Introduction: Falls can cause serious injuries and reduce the quality of life in older adults. While some studies suggest that urinary incontinence and cognitive impairment increase fall risk, others report no significant association. Urinary incontinence contributes to falls through urgency and mobility impairment, whereas cognitive function affects balance and reaction time. This study examines the impact of urinary incontinence and cognitive function on fall risk. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 77 older adults in Singapadu Tengah Village, Gianyar, using total sampling. Fall risk was assessed with the M-IFRAT, cognitive function with the MMSE, and urinary incontinence with the ICIQ-UI SF. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of the independent variables on fall risk. Results: The regression model (Nagelkerke R² = 0.534) showed a significant association between urinary incontinence and fall risk (p < 0.05), while cognitive function was not. Older adults with moderate urinary incontinence had a 27.296 times higher fall risk (95% CI: 4.743–157.102, p < 0.001) than those with mild incontinence. Although cognitive impairment was not significantly related to falls, it increased fall risk by 3.053 times (95% CI: 0.829–11.243, p = 0.093). Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is the most influential factor in fall risk among older adults. Fall prevention should focus on managing incontinence through balance training and pelvic floor muscle strengthening