Introduction: Urinary incontinence is a troublesome symptom that negatively affects many aspects of life among woman suffering from this disease. It disturbs social, professional and intimate relations, and thus contributes to a negative self-image, loss of self-confidence, withdrawal of a woman from social and family life, and consequently promotes negative state of mind and depression.
Aim: The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of urinary incontinence on the psychosocial functioning of women suffering from this disease.
Material and methods: The study included a group of 202 women aged 40.1 ± 13.9 years. A proprietary questionnaire was used, aimed at all women who had an episode of urinary incontinence at any time in their life.
Results: The impact and perception of the urinary incontinence symptoms depended on its form and severity. Comparing stress urinary incontinence with the mixed form, a greater severity of symptoms in women with the mixed form were observed, respectively 13.6% vs. 53.9%. Taking into account the aspects of life affected by urinary incontinence, it was found that the greatest impact UI had on the social (52.5%), then on the professional (28.7%), and the least impact on the family aspect of life (21.8%).
Conclusions: Research has shown that urinary incontinence has the greatest impact on the social aspect of the surveyed women's life. The reported impact largely depended on the form and severity of urinary incontinence. In over 40% of women, symptoms related to urinary incontinence caused a deterioration of wellbeing and body acceptance. The mixed form was by far the most problematic and had the greatest impact on the daily functioning of women compared to, for example, the stress form.
Keywords: aspects of life; urinary incontinence; women.
© National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute.