BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) and its subtypes, associated clinical factors, and impact on quality of life (QoL) in a geriatric population aged 80 years or older. METHODS Male and female residents (inclusion criterion: 80 years or older) of three Viennese senior citizen homes were personally interviewed with the aid of a structured questionnaire based on the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Questionnaire within a 12-month period. UI was defined as any involuntary loss of urine during the past 4 weeks. Several demographic parameters were obtained additionally. RESULTS 434 participants with a mean age of 86.8 years (women: 87.6 years; men: 86.1 years) were included. UI was present in 52.5% (57% female vs. 23% male, p < 0.001), stress UI affected 36% (41% female vs. 5% male, p < 0.001), urge UI 38% (40.5% female vs. 23% male, p < 0.01), and mixed UI 28% (24% female vs. 5.0% male, p < 0.01). While the overall prevalence of UI remained rather stable in the four age cohorts (80-84 years, 85-89 years, 90-94 years, >94 years), there was a constant decline of SUI paralleled by an increase of UI and - to a lesser extent - of MUI with age. 36.5% (33% female vs. 57% male) participants did not report any negative impact on QoL, while a severe reduction of QoL was present in 31% of cases (35% female vs. 10.0% male). Risk factors for UI and its subtypes included female sex, reduced/no mobility, hysterectomy, and number of births. CONCLUSIONS This study provides data on the high prevalence of UI in a low-morbid geriatric cohort and evaluates gender-specific differences in UI prevalence, associated risk factors, and QoL.