Abstract

Background and objectives: Primary nocturnal enuresis is the bedwetting tendency in children aged ≥ 5 years, who have not stayed dry during sleep, for a period of more than 6 months. Secondary nocturnal enuresis is the recurrence of bedwetting after continuous a dry period of more than 6–12 months. The primary objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis (NE) among children aged 5–12 years, who received primary healthcare in Bahrain. The secondary objective was to determine the prevalence of primary and secondary NE, and the factors associated with primary NE.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in children aged 5–12 years, who attended local health centers in Bahrain in June 2015. A total of 438 children from eight local health centers were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used as the assessment tool.
Results: The overall prevalence of NE in Bahrain was 11.1%. The prevalence of primary NE and secondary NE was 82% and 18%, respectively. A significant association was established between NE and father’s education (P = 0.003), number of siblings (P = 0.045), and father’s (P = 0.033), mother’s (P < 0.001), and sibling’s (P < 0.001) history of NE.
Conclusion: The prevalence of NE in Bahrain is similar to that observed in other studies. Further studies are required to assess the prevalence of secondary enuresis and its associated factors.

Keywords: Prevalence, enuresis, children, primary care, Bahrain