The prevalence of urinary incontinence and its impact on quality of life among the university female staff in South Africa

Abstract

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common problem among females and has been associated with significant decreased quality of life. Few women seek help for this condition with only a few who consult physiotherapy treatment.Purpose: To determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence and its impact on quality of life among the university women in South Africa.Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study design with 145 women ran-domly selected from the university. A questionnaire was used to determine UI Diagnosis; Impact on Qol and treatment seeking tendencies. BMI was meas-ured objectively. ethical clearance was obtained from University. Data was analysed using SPSS 17.0Results: Forty six(32%) women reported to having UI. Risk factors associated with UI included age, race, and obesity. UI had a significant negative impact on quality of life and only 4.4% of participants with UI consulted physio-therapy for this condition.Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of UI among the women at this university with a significant impact on quality of life.The role of Physiotherapy in management of UI has been demonstrated and there is therefore a need to empower women with non-invasive treatment options, like physiotherapy.

Keywords

• urinary incontinence
• impact, quality of life
• physiotherapy.