Factors Influencing Autonomy in Middle-Aged and Elderly Women with Urinary Incontinence.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Urinary incontinence (UI) is relatively common among middle-aged and elderly women and can have significant impacts on patients' physiological, psychological, and quality-of-life aspects. A higher level of autonomy can encourage better health behaviors in patients, so as to promote rehabilitation of the disease and improve their quality of life. The study is aimed at exploring the level of autonomy and influencing factors among middle-aged and elderly women with UI. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Shenzhen, China. Middle-aged and elderly women were asked to complete the Index of Autonomous Functioning scale (IAF), the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), and the Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) scale. Data were collected in January 2024 to March 2024. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, bivariate correlation and multivariate linear regression were used to analyze data. RESULTS: A total of 646 women completed the questionnaire. The means and standard deviations (SD) of the IAF section were 45.40 ± 8.92, those of the ICIQ-UI SF section were 11.54 ± 3.67, and those of the I-QOL section were 43.95 ± 9.83. Multivariate linear regression models for the IAF revealed that questionnaire scores were independently associated with family's monthly income, education level, regular exercise, UI severity, and I-QOL score (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The factors influencing the level of autonomy among middle-aged and elderly women with UI include family's monthly income, education level, regular exercise, UI severity, and I-QOL score. Higher levels of autonomy were observed among women with high family income, high education level, regular exercise habits, mild to moderate UI, and high quality of life.