Selected determinants of quality of life in women with urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common diseases in women. It involves uncontrolled leaking of urine through the urethra. UI incidence depends on age and in certain age groups it can affect up to 60% of the female population. The symptoms can be persistent and due to their embarrassing nature they can lead to significant deterioration of quality of life and psychological functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of life and selected aspects of functioning. Seventy female outpatients of a public clinic in Nałęczów, Poland, were examined, and the following methods were used: the Urinary Incontinence Life Quality Scale (Szymona-Pałkowska, Kraczkowski), Disease-Related Appraisal Scale (Janowski, Steuden), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (Endler, Parker), Disease-Related Social Support Scale (Brachowicz, Janowski, Sadowska), and the Knowledge Appraisal Scale for Urinary Incontinence (Szymona-Pałkowska, Kraczkowski). The obtained results suggest that the strongest predictors for the quality of life with UI would be: perception of the disease as an injustice and a challenge (a reverse relationship) and an avoidance-oriented style of coping with stress through companionship seeking (a positive relationship). The duration of the disease and the level of related knowledge proved to be crucial in the analysis of one dimension, i.e. distance to the symptoms.
Department of Clinical Psychology, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.
Katarzyna
K
Szymona-Pałkowska
Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Pathology of Pregnancy, Medical University, Lublin.
Janusz J
JJ
Kraczkowski
University of Finance and Management in Warsaw.
Konrad
K
Janowski
Department of Clinical Psychology, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.
Stanisława
S
Steuden
Public Health Care Unit, Nałęczów.
Jolanta
J
Adamczuk
Chair and Department of Obstetrics and Pathology of Pregnancy, Medical University, Lublin.
Jacek M
JM
Robak
Non-Public Health Care Unit 'Ovum Reproduction and Andrology', Lublin.
Szymon
S
Bakalczuk
Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Obstetrical-Gynaecological Nursing Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Medical University, Lublin.
Grzegorz
G
Bakalczuk
quality of life; urinary incontinence