Urinary Incontinence in Men with Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common complication following stroke.
• Its impact on the quality of life (QoL) in male stroke survivors requires thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence and severity of UI in male stroke patients.
• To assess the effect of UI on the QoL of these individuals.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative, cross-sectional study involving 103 adult male stroke survivors.
• Utilized Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Barthel Index (BI) for disability assessment.
• Employed Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7) for UI assessment.
• Assessed QoL using the EuroQoL 5-Dimension 3-Level (EQ-5D-3L) instrument.

Main Results:

• Over 50% of participants exhibited UI symptoms based on UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores.
• UI severity strongly correlated with increased disability (MRS, BI) and reduced QoL (EQ-5D-3L).
• Cortical stroke involvement was associated with higher UI scores.

Conclusions:

• High severity of UI was observed in male stroke survivors.
• UI negatively impacts QoL and is more prevalent in patients with greater disability and cortical stroke.
• Findings highlight the need for managing UI in stroke rehabilitation.