Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) represents a frequent symptom among women of all ages. However, very few women are admitted to a hospital or clinic because of UI. The aim of the paper was to characterize women admitted to hospital because of UI in respect to symptoms and self reported quality of life.
Materials and methods: The study comprised all 174 women admitted to a gynaecologic ward due to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in the period from 1 November 1999 to 1 August 2001. A total of 142 women (82%) completed validated questionnaires on symptoms and quality of life and were included in this analysis.
Results: The median age was 59 years. The majority (97%) had UI at least once a week. Many patients reported other LUTS--in particular nocturia (87%) and urgency (81%). Two-thirds of the women experienced UI as a major problem. The single most affected factor in terms of quality of life--mental well being--was compromised in two-thirds of the cases. Half of all women were incontinent for flatus, one-third for loose stools and one tenth for normal stools occasionally or more frequently. One out of four women experienced anal incontinence as a major problem.
Conclusion: The study shows that the quality of life among women referred to a gynaecologic ward because of LUTS is severely affected. Moreover, the study demonstrates a close association between UI symptoms and symptoms indicating pelvic floor malfunction, such as LUTS and anal incontinence.