The Relationship between Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life and Sleep Quality in Women Over the Age of 60 Years

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between urinary incontinence quality of life and sleep quality in women over the age of 60 years.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between May 15 and July 5, 2013. Data were collected from a total of 332 women including 68 women from 3 nursing homes in a provincial center of Eskisehir and 269 women living alone or with family in their own homes in a street of that city. Women's urinary incontinence quality of life was assessed using the incontinence quality of life scale and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index.

Mean age of the participating women was 71.00±7.42 years. Only 10.8% of the women had incontinence diagnosis; prevalence of anamnesis-based incontinence was 87.7%. Those who lived in their own homes, who had a urinary incontinence diagnosis, who experienced urinary incontinence according to their anamnesis, who were smokers, and who had a poor sleep quality had lower Incontinence Quality of Life Scale scores. Additionally, their quality of life was negatively affected (p<0.05). Poor sleep quality and diagnosis of urinary incontinence were important predictors of the Incontinence Quality of Life Scale of women over 60 years of age and explained 18% of the total variance. The Incontinence Quality of Life Scale scores of the women decreased by 5.67 points in the presence of poor sleep quality and 6.48 points in the presence of urinary incontinence diagnosis.

Urinary incontinence is a common problem seen in older women, is considered as a usual problem due to aging, and is ignored or not taken care of. It also has a negative impact on the quality of life and sleep.