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Learning Objective 1: urinary incontinence in women is a healthcare problem that affects quality of life and whose rate of requests for medical help is low.
Learning Objective 2: Nurses should perform screening to determine women at risk.
This study was performed to determine the incontinence features, risk factors and quality of life in women presenting at the Urology Outpatients Department for urinary incontinence (UI). We believe that the information obtained from women coming to the hospital directly for UI may contribute to the nursing consultancy and care services to be provided toUI patients.
Methods:
The number of patients agreeing to participate during the study period was, however, fifty-five and all patients were included in the study without sampling. The required sample size was calculated as sixty-two patients with an error level of α=0.05 and power of 90% (β=0.10).
The data were collected with the Data Collection Form, ICIQ-SF form and the Incontinence Quality of Life Scale. The forms were completed by the first investigator using the face-to-face interview technique in the Urology Outpatients Department examination room.
Results:
The urinary incontinence distribution was 21.8% stress, 23.6% urge and 45.5% mixed-type incontinence with 60.0% being incontinent several times a day, 38.2% in large amounts, while sneezing or coughing without being able to reach the toilet, and 21.8% had been incontinent for eleven years or more. UI was found to have a major influence on all aspects of quality of life in the women. The mixed-type UI, however, affected women more from the social embarrassment angle of quality of life.
Conclusion:
UI in women is a healthcare problem that affects quality of life and whose rate of requests for medical help is low. Nurses therefore have important responsibilities in this regard. Nurses need to provide training and consultancy services to women regarding UI risk factors, early diagnosis and treatment and should perform screening to determine women at risk.