Effect of Symptom Severity on the Quality of Life in Women with Urinary Incontinence: A Comparative Study

ÖzObjective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of symptom severity on quality of life and urinary incontinence (UI) risk factors affecting quality of life in women with UI. Methods:The study was conducted with a descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative design.Data were collected using the "description form" and "King's health questionnaire (KHQ)" with 160 women applying to a university hospital's urogynecology polyclinic.The Number Cruncher Statistical System 2007 (Kaysville, Utah, USA) program was used for data analysis.The data were analyzed using numbers, percentages, Mann-Whitney U test, and linear regression analyses.P<0.05 was considered significant.Results: It was found that 45% of women had none/low symptom severity and 55% had medium/high symptom severity.The women's KHQ first part subscale mean score was found to be "general health condition" 41.09±20.48;"incontinence effect" 56.46±28.47;"role limitation" 41.04±33.43;"physical limitation" 46.67±33.01;"social limitation" 31.94±30.26;"personal relationship" 15.94±25.72;"emotions" 43.61±34.82;"sleep energy level" 27.71±27.97;"severity measurements" 38.46±24.56;KHQ second part (symptom severity scale) mean score was 9.56±5.97.It was found that women with medium/high symptom severity had statistically significant higher scores from all subscales of KHQ's quality of life part than women with none/low severity (p<0.01). Conclusion:It was concluded that incontinence in women affected quality of life at a medium level, quality of life decreased as incontinence's symptom severity increased, and many UI risk factors affected quality of life.This study reveals that incontinence symptom severity has a negative effect on women's quality of life.