Quality of life and urinary incontinence pad use in women

Women utilizing the free provision and home delivery of urinary incontinence pads by the Swedish health services were sent a questionnaire concerning their quality of life and pad use. Evaluable and complete replies were received from 460 of 521 women. The incontinence was chronic and moderate to severe, considerably restricting general and professional activities. Feelings of anxiety, isolation and depression were common, their prevalence rising with incontinence grade. Satisfaction with the supplied pads was generally good, with absorptive and antiodor properties most appreciated. The threatened introduction of charges for the pads was reported as a dominant anxiety. A drawback of free supply may be that, as in 24% of the present series, women primarily use the pads as a solution to the problem of incontinence, without a doctor's intervention and before a trial of continence-promoting or curative measures.