The bothersomeness of female urinary incontinence and its influencing factors: Study from a Chinese city

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the bothersomeness of female urinary incontinence (UI) and analyse its influencing factors. Methods: A purposive sample of 506 women with UI from three communities in Jinan was studied using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Urinary Incontinence Short Form, modified Social Impact Scale, and a coping efficacy questionnaire. The influencing factors of bothersomeness were identified using one-way analysis of variance, χ2 test, and logistic regression. Results: Of the participants, 33.4% were bothered by UI symptoms; logistic regression indicated that severity of UI, stigma, coping efficacy, and duration of symptoms were independent factors of bothersomeness, which clarified 49.8% of the variation. Conclusion: UI patients should receive individualised intervention. Healthcare workers can provide targeted intervention to patients bothered by UI to alleviate symptoms, decrease the sense of stigma, and increase confidence in coping with symptoms to decrease bothersomeness.

Keywords

• Coping efficacy
• Female
• Urinary incontinence
• Shame