title: Quality of life of women with urinary incontinence: a systematic literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to review studies that have examined the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review was conducted that used the databases PubMED, Proquest, CINAHL, and Sciencedirect. Articles were included that were published in English between 2005 and 2010 the key words use were urinary incontinence, women, and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 18 studies were identified, and the prevalence of urinary incontinence varied depending on the definition of incontinence used and the age of the population studied. The Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QoL), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-short form (IIQ-7), and King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) were the most commonly used instruments. Demographic, medical, physical, psychological, health, and intervention factors were reported as influencing factors on the quality of life of women with incontinence. Age, severity of urinary incontinence, type of urinary incontinence, number of urinary incontinence episodes, body weight, stress, and help-seeking behavior were statistically significant variables influencing quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future studies are needed to identify factors related to quality of life among women with incontinence and to use validated instruments according to specific subjects.
authors.affiliation: Seoul Women's College of Nursing, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Eun
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Gi Yon
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Youn Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Young Sook
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Mi Ae
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: You