[Female urinary incontinence: a systematic review of qualitative studies]

Urinary incontinence has broad repercussions on female daily life. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review seeking to analyze results of qualitative research concerning female urinary incontinence published prior to 2009. After an electronic search, 53 research reports were identified with 30 fulfilling the exclusion and inclusion criteria. After classification according to the Critical Appraisal Skills Program, 13 constituted the analytical body for review. The data were synthesized according to the meta-ethnographical approach through reciprocal translation. Two categories emerged: life experiences among incontinent women; and proposals for care models for incontinent women. The restructuring of one's personal life metacategory points to individual adjustments necessary for dealing with the problem. In essence, the results reveal the option of the majority of women facing the loss of urine "silently" and point to the need for professionals to understand family perceptions in order to better comprehend the personal, family, and social implications involved in female urinary incontinence.