Accepting and adjusting: older women's experiences of living with urinary incontinence.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe experiences of living with urinary incontinence (UI) among persons who do not desire further assessment and treatment.


METHODS
This was a qualitative, descriptive interview study, and the method was phenomenological. Eleven women were interviewed; all had been in contact with a district nurse to obtain a prescription for sanitary protection. None of the women desired further treatment for UI.


RESULTS
The women described living with UI as a manageable problem with which they had learned to live. They showed strength and desire to manage on their own. In many cases, other health problems overshadowed leakage problems. Several women saw health care services as a barrier that needed to be overcome before help could be obtained. Three key constituents emerged in the analysis: "learning to live with it despite difficulties," "other illnesses are more important," and "reluctance to seek care." For these women, the essence of the phenomenon of living with urinary incontinence (UI) can described as "a situation to accept and adjust to."
Andersson
Gunnel
G
Department of Urology, Orebro University Hospital and Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and Assessment of Medical Technology Orebro, Sweden.
Johansson
Jan-Erik
JE
Nilsson
Kerstin
K
Sahlberg-Blom
Eva
E
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D041382:Diapers, Adult; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*