Factors Influencing Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life among Elderly Women in Home Visiting Healthcare Services

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting the urinary incontinence (UI) prevalence and the quality of life among elderly adult women who are subject to home visiting healthcare services. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 women aged 60 or over who were registered for home health care services at one health center in Gangwon-do. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of UI severity, UI type, and the quality of life. The UI severity was assessed using International Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF), the quality of life using Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL), and type of UI using Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID). The data were analyzed by using x2 test, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s Correlation, binary logistic, and multiple lineal regression. @*Results@#The prevalence of UI is 51.7%. The mean score of ICIQ-SF was 9.70±4.04 for women with UI and 0.04±0.51 for women without UI (t=-33.67, c<.001). As the frequency of day time urination (OR=1.34), the subjective health status (OR=1.45), and the educational status (OR=0.90) were higher, the risk of UI prevalence was the higher. The factors affecting I-QOL were ICIQ-SF score, mixed UI, subjective health status, and nighttime urination (adjusted R2 =.61). @*Conclusion@#The results of this study showed that UI severity, mixed UI, subjective health status, and day time urination affected the quality of life. It suggests that the assessment for the severity and type of UI be needed to prevent UI or improve the quality of life of UI vulnerable elderly adult women.