Incontinence Quality of Life Instrument in a survey of primary care physicians.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the performance of the Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) Instrument in measuring the impact of urinary incontinence on the quality of life of family medicine patients.


METHODS
Postal survey. Multiple imputations of missing answers. Linear regression analysis of I-QOL predictors. Comparison by receiver operating characteristic of the I-QOL and the Short Form 12 (SF-12).


METHODS
Women 45 years or older attending either of 2 family medicine clinics. Response rate was 605 (61%) of 992.


METHODS
Prevalence of stress, urge, and mixed incontinence. Scores on the I-QOL and SF-12 instruments.


RESULTS
Of the 605 respondents, 310 (51%) reported urinary incontinence in the month before the survey. One or more items were missing on 19% of the I-QOL scales and scores were imputed. The relation between I-QOL and the number of leakage episodes was nonlinear. I-QOL scores decreased with the number of episodes, the amount of leakage, and poorer general health. There was no association between the I-QOL and age, education, or type of incontinence. The I-QOL was more sensitive than the SF-12 to the statement, "urinary incontinence is a problem."


CONCLUSIONS
The I-QOL is a useful instrument for the investigation of incontinence-related quality of life in the community setting.
Finkelstein
Murray M
MM
Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Toronto, Canada. murray.finkelstein@utoronto.ca
Skelly
Jennifer
J
Kaczorowski
Janusz
J
Swanson
Graham
G
D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology