The Medical Journal of Basrah University

Abstract

ABSTRACT
In this paper we report the results pertaining to a cross sectional study carried out on 617 households in Nassiryiah
City-Thi Qar governorate. The study aims at determining, among other things, the prevalence of enuresis among
children aged 5-15 years. A total of 942 children in the targeted age group were identified and 233 of them were
reported to have enuresis. These figures gave an overall prevalence rate of enuresis at 24.7% with substantial decrease
with advancing age from 40.6% in children aged 5-6 years to 5.4% in children aged 13-15 years. The prevalence was
higher among first born children (31.5%) as compared to those born afterwards (22.0%). The prevalence was also
higher among children with positive family history (52.4%) as compared to those with negative family history
(18.2%) but no difference was detected between sexes. The majority of cases of enuresis were of primary type
(95.7%), nocturnal timing (97.0%) and of daily frequency (44.0%). The study came to the conclusion that enuresis
is common in children in Nassiryiah city and deserves more care from the medical profession.