Quality of Life and Anxiety Levels in Patients Using Clean Intermittent Catheterization

Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is a reliable and effective method of maintaining bladder function. However, if not properly managed, especially during long-term use, it can lead to complications such as pain, infection, bleeding, urethritis, and urethral stricture, negatively affecting the individual's quality of life. This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of life and anxiety levels of patients undergoing CIC, and to determine the factors affecting them in relation to descriptive characteristics and CIC usage.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 47 inpatients from a state hospital's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic. Data collection tools included a Patient Information Form, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Short Form, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory.

Among the patients, 74.5% performed seven or more intermittent catheterizations daily, 48.9% self-administered the procedure, and 74.5% received education about it. The lowest quality-of-life scale score was in the environmental domain (22.9 ± 5.62), while the highest was in the psychological domain (18.5 ± 4.92). The mean Beck Anxiety Inventory score was 16.79 ± 11.12. Anxiety levels showed a weak but significant negative correlation with the social domain of the quality-of-life scale ( r = -.356, p = .014).

Except for the psychological domain, the subdimension scores for quality of life were below average. The total score on the scale indicated that patients experienced moderate levels of anxiety. Lower anxiety levels moderately correlated with better social relationships, suggesting that reducing anxiety may contribute to improvements in interpersonal interactions and overall social well-being.

Nurses can play a critical role in improving patients' quality of life by offering education, psychological support, guidance on proper catheterization techniques, anxiety management, and consistent follow-up care.