title: The mediating effect of 'bothersome' urinary incontinence on help-seeking intentions among community-dwelling women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the mediating effect of bother of urinary incontinence between urinary incontinence severity and help-seeking intentions and detect whether the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-UI Short Form could be a valid measure to delineate bothersome urinary incontinence.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Urinary incontinence is a common condition among women, which has a profound adverse effect on quality of life. However, many of them experiencing significant clinical symptoms do not seek medical help.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with urinary incontinence (N = 620) from three randomized selected community health service centres from May-October 2011 participated in the study. Data were collected using a pencil-and-paper questionnaire. Multivariate regression models were used to test the role of bother as a mediator in the relation between urinary incontinence severity and help-seeking intentions. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to find the best cut-off International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-UI Short Form score (range: 0-21) to delineate the bother of urinary incontinence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bothersome urinary incontinence mediated the relationship between urinary incontinence severity and help-seeking intentions. Age and duration of urine leakage had a negative association on help-seeking intentions, while educational level and previous help-seeking behaviours had a positive association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bother was a mediator in the relation between urinary incontinence severity and help-seeking intentions. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-UI Short Form was a discriminative measure to delineate the bothersome urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Shandong University, Jinan, China; School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Dongjuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kefang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: ICIQ-UI SF; International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-UI Short Form; bother; help-seeking intentions; mediating effect; nursing; urinary incontinence; women