INTRODUCTION: Urinary incontinence (UI) is defined as an involuntary loss of urine being more frequent in women than in men. Urinary incontinence has a negative impact on quality of life, with significant psychological, physical, social and sexual implications and high economic costs. In women, pregnancy and birth trauma have been considered significant risk factors for the presence of UI in the immediate postpartum period and for its persistence in its life cycle. With this thesis we intend to carry out the validation of two instruments to assess urinary incontinence and quality of life, to assess the prevalence of urinary incontinence in the postpartum period, the associated risk factors and the impact on the quality of life of Portuguese women. METHODOLOGY: The present investigation included two stages. The first consisted of two methodological studies in which two instruments were validated for the Portuguese culture, the ICIQ-UI SF and the ICIQ-LUTSQol. In the second, a cross-sectional observational study was carried out, in which a sample of 696 women, with a delivery occurred up to one year ago, was carried out, in which the presence of urinary incontinence, the associated risk factors and the impact on quality of life were evaluated through use of an online questionnaire made available on social networks. RESULTS: We obtained a prevalence rate of 46.6% in a sample of 696 women, with 324 participants reporting urine leakage, that is, urinary incontinence. The risk factors identified were the presence of urinary leakage before pregnancy, during pregnancy, type of delivery and age over 34 years. The frequency of urine leakage is associated with a lower quality of life. Even losing urine once a week was found to have a major impact on quality of life by 18.8% of women. However, when urine loss occurs several times a day, the impact is more significant, showing that 63.6% consider it a great impact on quality of life. CONCLUSION: This thesis allowed the validation of two important instruments for the clinic and for research in this area. The results obtained in this study allowed us to conclude that the prevalence of urinary incontinence found in the postpartum period corroborates the existing evidence that this condition is a health problem that needs to be addressed in the practice of care. Urinary incontinence has a significant impact on women's quality of life, particularly in terms of their relationship with their partner, sex life and psychological wellbeing.
Date of Award | 8 Oct 2024 |
---|
Original language | Portuguese |
---|
Awarding Institution | - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
|
---|
Supervisor | Paulo Alves (Supervisor) |
---|
- Nursing
- Urinary incontinence
- Women
- Quality of life
- Postpartum
- Doutoramento em Enfermagem
Incontinência urinária no pós-parto: epidemiologia e impacto na qualidade de vida das mulheres
Guerra, M. J. J. (Student). 8 Oct 2024
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis