['Urinary incontinence (UI) is an important geriatric syndrome that has been associated with a wide range of health-related outcomes. However, UI severity has rarely been examined in the context of a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the association between UI severity and health-related quality of life (QoL) when frequent geriatric issues are taken into account.', 'We performed a cross-sectional study of 1,124 participants aged 70 y and older. UI was diagnosed when difficulty with urinary continence was reported, and its severity was assessed through a modified version of the Sandvik Index. Health-related QoL was measured using the SF-36, including its physical and mental component summaries. Multivariate linear regression was performed to determine the association between UI severity and health-related QoL.', 'Prevalence of UI was 18%, and it was severe in 29.3% of cases. Severely incontinent subjects were older and had worse self-perceived health status, greater disability, and more depressive symptoms in comparison with continent participants or with those affected to a lesser degree. Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant inverse association between the physical component summaries and moderate (B = -4.54) as well as severe UI (B = -6.72). The mental component summaries showed similar results (B = -1.44 and -4.43, respectively).'] Does the severity of urinary incontinence decrease health-related quality of life among community-dwelling elderly?