This study attempted to survey the incidences of urinary incontinence of middle-aged women living in Korea by the types of incontinence, and to analyze relations between the types and their low nurinary symptoms, their sexual matters and life style. It coule provide basic data to get better hold of the status of urinary incontinence and contribute to develop a strategy to care for the women suffering from it.
A total of 529 middle-aged women were selected as the subjects of this study from 25 districts in Seoul. and the areas of 500 Public Health Clinics in medium and small cities. The data were collected during the period form January 16 to June 13, 1997.
The tools for this study were based on Jackson´s (1996) Uninary Symptom Questionnarie. The reasercher instructed her assistants the method of collecting data to fulfil the purpose of the study. She and her assistants visited personally the subjects and interviewed them to collect data wih the questionnarie after explaining the intentions and necessity of the study. The contents of the questionnarie were made up of 3 questions for thedgeneral matters, 20 for the general matters, 20 for their urinary continence and low urinary symptoms, 4 for their sexual matters and 8 for their life style. The value of Chronbach Alpha obtained grom this study was 0.97.
The obtained data were processed into real numbers and percentages according to the technical statistical method using SPSS PC+Program. The relationship between the types fo incontinence and the low urinary symptoms, sexual matters, and life style of the women covered by this study was measured by the method of Chi-Square Test.
The results of this study were as follows.
1. General Characteristics of the women covered in this study.
The general characteristics of the middle-aged women covered in this study were as follows.
As to the range of age 40-44 was the percentage of 28.4 % ; as to delivery count 1-2 times were highest 41.5%, as to the type of delivery, in normal vagina delivery both 1-2 times and 3-4 times were highest 30.4% alike, and in Caesarean section those without previous delivery experience were highest 87.2%´ as to menstrual status, those in menstration were highest 60.7%, and in menopause were 26.8%.
2. The ratio of the incidences of urinary incontinence was 67.1%. By types, he urge incontinence was 4%, the stress incontinence was 59.3%, and the mixed stress and urge incontinence was 36.7%.
3. General characteristics of the women suffering from urinary incontinence by the types. As to the age distribution of those suffering from the incontinence, the urge incontinence was prevailing at the age range of 40-44 was the percentage of 35.7%, 45-49 was the percentage of 28.6%, stress incontinence was prevailing at the age range of 50-54 was the percentage of 23.6%, and the mixed stress and urge incontinence at 55-59 was the percentage of 30.5%. As to thz delivery count, in the urge incontinence 1-2 times were higest 50%, in the stress incontinence 3-4 times were highest 39.4%, in the mixed stress and urge incontinence 3-4 times were highest 45.6%. As to the types of delivery, in the normal virgina delivery, in the urge incontinence 1-2 times were highest 42.9%, in the stress incontinence 3-4 times were highest 33.9%, in the mixed stress and urge incontinence 3-4 times were highest 44%, and in Caesarean section those without previous delivery experience were more than 85% in all 3 types of incontinence As to the menstrual status, in the urge incontinence those in menstruation were highest 46.2%, in the stress incontinence those in menstruation were highest 44.4%. Howevere, in the mixed stress and urge incontinence those menopause were highest 61.5%.
4. The low urinary symptoms of the women suffering from the urinary incontinence by types were as follows. In the urge incontinence, the higher frequency, urgency, nocturia, hesitancy, abnormal strength of stream, retention, and inability to stop midstream. In the stress incontinence, the hiker symptoms wer feeling of burning, bladder pain, incomplete emptying, and intermitted stream. in the mixed stress and urge incontinence, most of the low urinary symptoms were highly occured.
5. The difficulties in the sexual matters of the women suffering from the Lrinary incontinence by types were as follows. In the urge incontincence, the higher frequency of symptoms were pain by dry virgina and urine lackage both during sexual intercourse. In the stress incontinence, there were no particular difficuties in their sexual matters. In the mixed stress and urge incontinence, many problems were highly occured in their sexual matters.
6. The difficulites in life style of the women suffering from the urinary incontinence by types were as follows. In the urge incontinence, they are much troubled by restricting fluid intake and affecting daily tasks. In the stress incontinence, they are much troubled by avoiding the places and situation unable to go to rest room, and interfering normal relationship with their husbnds and companies. In the mixed stress and urge incontinence, they had many problems in their life style.
7. The significant relationship was shown between the types of incontinence of the women suffering from it and their low urinary symptoms, their sexual maters and their life style. Based on the conclusions of this study, following suggestion are proposed for the women suffering from the urinary licontinence.
1. Further study is necessary to slove the problems from their low urinary symptoms, their sexual matters and. their life style, by the types of incontinence.
2. With the analysis of all the symptoms, by the types of incontinence, a study for nursing intervention is necessary to prevent the urinary incontinence.
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