Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2000 , Vol 3, Issue 3
QUALITY OF LIFE AND ITS RELATION WITH OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT PARAMETERS IN URINARY INCONTINENT PATIENTS
Ayşe KARAN, Buket AKSAÇ, Habibe AYYILDIZ, Mete IŞIKOĞLU, Önay YALÇIN, Nurten ESKİYURT
İstanbul Üniversitesi İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi, Ürojinekoloji Ünitesi-İstanbul As it is the same for osteoporosis, the incidence of urinary incontinence increases with age. It causes serious hygienic, social and psychogenic problems. It is possible to assess pelvic floor muscle strength and urine amount by perineometry and pad test objectively. But psychosocial evaluation can be done with several scales. In this study, the degree of psychosocial disorder and its relation with objective clinical parameters was investigated. 53 incontinent women were included into the study regardless of the incontinence type. Quality of life (QOL) scores of the patients were determined according to the Wagner's QOL scale. In addition; perineometry, pad test and urinary diary were performed. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for the statistical analysis. The patients were found to have mild psychosocial disorder. This score was not correlated with pad test, perineometry and urinary diary (p>O.O5). QOL (predominantly psychosocial health) is disturbed in urinary incontinent women. The fact that QOL score is not correlated with the underlying organic disorder suggests that multiple factors affect psychosocial health. The patient should be supported in this regard. Keywords : Urinary incontinence, Quality of life, Psychosocial problems, Social life