OBJECTIVES: Previous studies report that women with urge urinary incontinence (UUI) symptoms are more bothered than women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms. However, studies have not examined the relative bother of stress and urge symptoms among women who experience both. METHODS: A survey was mailed to 5130 women using a national access panel and 3562 (69%) questionnaires were completed. Our analysis focuses on women with symptoms of both SUI and UUI in the previous seven days. Women were asked which type of symptom they would most like to get rid of. Frequency was categorized as stress predominant (more stress leakages than urge leakages), equal, or urge predominant. Interference with everyday life was rated on a scale from zero "not at all" to ten "a great deal." RESULTS: In total, 3364 questionnaires met study criteria (age 18-60 and not pregnant); 359 (11%) women reported both types of UI symptoms, 162 stress predominant, 146 equal frequency, and 51 urge predominant. In women with equal frequency, 44% desired most to be rid of stress symptoms, and 56% urge symptoms (p=0.15 vs. alternative of no preference). Among stress predominant women, 62% most desired to be rid of stress symptoms while 76% of urge predominant women most desired to be rid of urge symptoms (p<0.0001). Interference with everyday life was 4.6 (3.2 SD) for stress symptoms and 4.8 (3.2 SD) for urge symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Among women with mixed incontinence symptoms, relative bother of SUI and UUI is dependent on frequency and types of leakages. Majority of women desired to be rid of the symptom with the higher frequency. Interference with daily activities is not significantly different for the two types of symptoms. This emphasizes importance of physicians assessing mixed patients for symptom predominance and targeting the more bothersome type of UI for initial treatment.