A review of the role of primary care in the diagnosis and management of stress urinary incontinence.

Women and men need to be informed that help for many urinary complaints is available and that treatment is effective. Workers in primary care should be encouraged to elicit urinary complaints from females because 'If doctors don't ask, patients don't tell'. All those in primary care who deal with patients with urinary disorders need to be sensitive to the great emotional and social distress associated with these complaints.