Quality of life (QoL) and help-seeking in postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence (UI): A population based study

• We study the effect of urinary incontinence (UI) on quality of life (QoL) and help-seeking among Iranian women that have different religious culture.
• It seems that UI has a much more devastating effect on the QoL of Iranian women.
• Subjects with longer duration of UI had lower QoL total scores and in limiting behavior domain.
• Although UI adversely affected postmenopausal women's QoL, their treatment seeking was low and there was not a significant correlation between QoL and help-seeking.
• Health care team should educate and aware patients of prevention of UI and available treatments.

ObjectiveUI is a common condition among women. UI adversely impacts upon QoL and participation in everyday activities. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of QoL and help-seeking in postmenopausal women with UI.DesignThis cross-sectional correlation study took place from March to May 2012; the subjects were selected by multi stage sampling method from various zones of Rasht City (North of Iran). The data were collected using personal data form, Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnose (QUID), Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) and Incontinence QoL questionnaire (I-QoL), data were analyzed by SPSS at the significant level of P < 0.05 and then were compared by parametric and non-parametric tests.ResultThree hundred and thirteen menopause women aged 45–60 years (mean 52.9) were recruited in the study. Mean QoL score was 46.18 ± 19.91. Only 27.3% of subjects seek care for UI. There was no significant correlation between the QoL and help-seeking.ConclusionAccording to the findings although QoL was impaired in women with UI, their help-seeking was low. Most of them did not consider UI an important problem; health professionals should educate patients and aware patients of available treatments.