Portrait representation of postmenopausal women's experiences of living with urinary incontinence

The Concerns of Community-Dwelling Older Women Living with Urinary Incontinence: Qualitative Research

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The world including Iran is facing population aging. Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common health concerns of older women that can be accompanied by an increased sense of loneliness, social restrictions, and disruption in activities of daily living in addition to the regular challenges of old age. This study was aimed at explaining the concerns of community-dwelling older women living with UI.

METHODS

This study used the conventional, qualitative, content analysis approach with purposive sampling. Twenty interviews were conducted with 18 participants, including 15 community-dwelling older women with UI and three family members (a husband and two daughters), over the span of 14 months (from August 2021 to October 2022). The data were collected via semi-structured, face-to-face interviews until data saturation was achieved, and were analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman's method.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that the concerns of older women with UI include the impasse of UI, being powerless in life, distorted social identity, and marital frustration, which fell under the main theme of sense of inadequacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Recognizing the concerns of older women with UI can make health care teams more sensitive to the importance of resolving these concerns and can offer some insight into how best to provide targeted training, support, and counseling services at individual, family, and society levels, to eventually resolve the older adult's sense of inadequacy.

A meta-ethnography to understand the experience of living with urinary incontinence: 'is it just part and parcel of life?'

BACKGROUND

Urinary incontinence (UI) is highly prevalent and affects the lives of many men and women. We aimed to conduct a qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) to explore the experience of living with UI and to develop a conceptual model that can help us to understand this experience, and the potential barriers to appropriate healthcare.

METHODS

We used the methods of meta-ethnography developed by Noblit and Hare and recently refined for larger studies. Meta-ethnography involves identifying concepts from the studies and abstracting these concepts into a line of argument. We searched for studies that explored the experience of adults with UI. We used the GRADE-CERQual framework to assess confidence in review findings.

RESULTS

We screened 2307 titles, 429 abstracts, 107 full texts and included 41 studies (36 unique samples) in the synthesis. We organised the concepts into 26 conceptual categories, which we further abstracted into 6 themes: (1) Am I ill or is this normal? (2) It effects who I am and how I feel; (3) I feel stigmatised, ashamed and guilty; (4) talking can be difficult but it can help; (5) keeping incontinence under control; (6) have I got to the point that I need help? Our model conceptualises living with UI as navigating antagonists: Is UI normal or am I ill? Do I need help or am I managing? Do I keep UI to myself (and manage alone) or do I tell other people (and get the support that I need)? Do I use control strategies that focus on concealing (avoid risky situations, wear pads) versus, I use strategies that focus on improving the bodily function to improve continence. Our model highlights the experience of stigma, shame and guilt which exert a pull towards concealment.

CONCLUSIONS

The culture of secrecy and profound sense of shame is barrier to seeking help. An environment which reduces the shame and stigma of UI may help people to switch the focus to strategies that will improve continence, rather than conceal incontinence.

Prevalence of urinary incontinence in women aged 18 and over and affecting factors

The aim of study was to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in women aged 18 and over and the factors affecting it. The sample of the study consisted of the 1220 women. The results of the study showed that the rate of UI was 26.3%. Prevalence rose as age and body mass index increased. UI rates were also high in women who had long-term constipation and UTI, those who were in menopause, those with a high number of pregnancies, and in those who had undergone a vaginal birth. It is important that measures be taken to prevent UI.

Profile and quality of life of women in pelvic floor rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE

Describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and sexual profile, identify profile variables that affect the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and evaluate the correlation between two HRQoL questionnaires used in a pelvic floor rehabilitation program.

METHOD

This is an observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study, based on patient records and two questionnaires for HRQoL evaluation.

RESULTS

Women presented a mean age of 55.4 years; were married; white; had stress, urge, or mixed urinary incontinence (UI) of moderate to large urine release; and daily or diurnal UI. Only 50.5% had an active sex life and most had sexual complaints. The change in sexual activity and some types of UI affected the HRQoL. The two questionnaires presented a correlation.

CONCLUSION

The profile and correlation between the questionnaires are consistent with the literature. The type of UI and changes in sexual activity affect the HRQoL.

Urinary incontinence and quality of life of women living in nursing homes in the Mediterranean region of Turkey

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to determine the effect of urinary incontinence (UI) on the quality of life of women living in nursing homes in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.

METHODS

The study was conducted on 95 women living in nursing homes in the Mediterranean region. Data were collected from a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, the Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life Scale, the Index of Activities of Daily Living, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form.

RESULTS

The quality of life of women who did not consider UI a health problem was significantly higher than that of those who considered otherwise. Mixed UI was the most common UI type among the women living in nursing homes, with a rate of 31.7%. According to the overall mean scores on the Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life Scale, quality of life was the most affected among women who had nocturnal incontinence. Quality of life was affected from most to least by the mixed type, stress type, and urge type of incontinence.

CONCLUSION

Early diagnosis and treatment of UI could be improved if health professionals, who have a unique role in changing the perception of society, offered training to women experiencing incontinence. Identifying this problem and determining and preventing the risk factors are important for enhancing women's quality of life.