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Among middle-aged women, urinary incontinence symptoms and attitudes exert a stronger influence on quality of life than knowledge alone.
A recent cross-sectional study has identified attitudes toward urinary incontinence (UI) and symptom severity as the most influential factors affecting condition-specific quality of life among middle-aged females, outweighing the impact of knowledge alone.
The study involved 183 women (aged 50–64 years) who reported symptoms of UI. Volunteers completed a series of validated instruments assessing UI-linked knowledge, symptom severity, the incontinence quality of life (I-QOL) scale, attitudes, and self-management behaviors. Data were evaluated via descriptive statistics, hierarchical multiple regression, and Pearson’s correlation analysis to determine the predictors of I-QOL.
In the initial regression model, which included general health status and UI-related characteristics, the variables explained 18.3% of the variance in quality-of-life scores. Within this model, perceived health status was a key predictor, with poorer perceived health linked with lower I-QOL scores (β = −0.28). The second model incorporated 4 primary study variables: UI-linked knowledge, self-management behaviors, attitudes toward UI, and symptom severity. This expanded model substantially improved explanatory power, accounting for 29.6% of the total variance in I-QOL.
Results showed that positive attitudes towards UI were independently related to higher quality-of-life scores (β = 0.19). Conversely, greater symptom severity (β = −0.22) and more frequent engagement in self-management behaviors (β = −0.19) were linked with poorer quality of life. Notably, UI-related knowledge did not illustrate a prominent direct effect on I-QOL outcomes.
Further statistical diagnostics confirmed no issues with multicollinearity or autocorrelation, supporting the validity of the regression findings. To sum up, interventions prioritizing symptom control and attitude modification, such as behavioral therapy and psychosocial support, may yield greater benefits for UI as opposed to education-focused strategies alone.
Scientific Reports
Impact of knowledge, attitudes, symptoms, and self-management of urinary incontinence on the quality of life in middle-aged women: a cross-sectional study
Yoon Hee Cho et al.
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