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Saturday, 16 November 2013
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to discuss midlife female urinary incontinence from a chronic illness perspective.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to identify potential mediating factors in the interpersonal impact of incontinence on the intimate dyadic relationship.
Urinary incontinence is a major health concern for women aged 45 – 65, with reported incidence rates of 26.5 – 51%. Urinary incontinence goes undisclosed by 10 – 50% of affected women. Urinary incontinence is a significant source of morbidity in among U.S. women that can affect their physical, economic, and psychosocial health. Although the impact of incontinence symptoms on a woman’s self-concept, body image, self-esteem, life-style, emotional health, and sexual function have been well documented, the effects of female urinary incontinence on the midlife intimate dyad remain underexplored. The psychosocial need to maintain one’s sense of self and the interpersonal need to nurture one’s intimate relationship may operate at cross purposes and challenge the couple’s ability to adjust to the symptom demands of female urinary incontinence. Breakdown in dyadic collaboration may compromise the quality of the intimate relationship and, consequently, the individual’s quality of life. The mediating effects of psychosocial and interpersonal factors on the impact of midlife female urinary incontinence on the quality of the intimate dyad are not well understood. The Corbin and Strauss Theory of Collaborative Chronic Illness Trajectory and the extensive body of literature exploring the lived experience of women with urinary incontinence informed the choice of mediating factors to be evaluated in this study. Quantitative data on relationship satisfaction and relationship dynamics will be obtained from both partners. Additional data will be collected from women with incontinence regarding incontinence symptom severity, self-esteem, body image, depression, and anxiety, to ascertain their contribution to relationship satisfaction. Open ended questions asked of both partners will provide qualitative data regarding changes in the relationship related to coping with urinary incontinence. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of female urinary incontinence on the midlife woman’s relationship with her intimate partner.