Adult women's experiences of urinary incontinence: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

BACKGROUND: Women are affected dramatically by urinary incontinence (UI). This disease is currently considered as epidemic. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to identify, through the best available evidence, how women experience UI worldwide. INCLUSION CRITERIA TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS: The current review included studies of adult women who had experienced UI. PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: Women with UI from various social and cultural settings were included in this review. TYPES OF STUDIES: Qualitative data including, but not limited to, study designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research were included in this review. OUTCOMES: All aspects related to the experience of UI endured by women were considered. SEARCH STRATEGY: An initial search of MEDLINE (PubMed) and CINAHL was done, followed by the exploration of all the databases and all identified studies, published in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. The databases searched were CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Lilacs, Scielo, BVS, BVS-Psi, Scopus, Embase, Sociological Abstracts, Dissertation Abstracts International and the University of São Paulo Dissertations and Thesis bank and gray literature. METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY: Each primary study was assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality. The Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Appraisal and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) data extraction form for interpretive and critical research was used to appraise the methodological quality of all papers. DATA EXTRACTION: Qualitative data were extracted using the JBI-QARI. DATA SYNTHESIS: Qualitative research findings were synthesized using the JBI-QARI. RESULTS: From the 28 studies were included, 189 findings were extracted and they were grouped into 25 categories and eight synthesized findings: (i) cultural and religious backgrounds and personal reluctance contribute to delays in seeking UI treatment; (ii) the inevitable and regrettable problem of UI endured silently and alone affects women's daily activities and their social roles; (iii) poor knowledge and the vague nature of the symptoms mask the fact that UI is a disease; (iv) the experiences provoked by UI and the sense of shame regarding the condition have contributed to impair women's lives; (v) UI has provoked negative effects on women's intimacy and sexual satisfaction and provoked changes in the ways they experience their sexuality and sexual function; (vi) UI is considered a consequence of pregnancy and childbirth, inherent to aging or a religious punishment; (vii) the women affected by UI adopt several strategies to improve their health status; and (viii) women have personal preferences toward care providers and treatments; they confront difficulties through UI treatment and some care needs are not met. CONCLUSION: Personal and tailored health care should be provided, and preferences and expectations should be taken into consideration in the provision of health care to the people affected by UI.

Conhecer para prevenir e cuidar: pesquisa-ação para promover a saúde da mulher com incontinência urinária / Knowing to prevent and care: Action research to promote the health of women with urinary incontinence

Introdução: A incontinência urinária (IU) acomete um grande contingente de mulheres e é considerada uma das novas epidemias do século XXI. Objetivo: elaborar um material educativo para promover o autocuidado de mulheres com IU. Os objetivos específicos foram explorar as experiências vividas por mulheres com IU; identificar as dúvidas e necessidades dessas mulheres relacionadas à IU; levantar dificuldades e potencialidades no enfrentamento dos problemas relacionados à IU. Referencial Teórico: As premissas interacionistas e dialógico-educativas de Paulo Freire alicerçaram este estudo. Metodologia: Foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa-ação (PA) com dois grupos (G1 e G2) de mulheres portadoras de IU. O G1 composto por 12 mulheres de um hospital do Sistema Único de Saúde, do Município de Macapá-AP. O G2 por dez mulheres da rede privada do mesmo município. As quatro fases da PA foram diagnóstico da realidade; planejamento e execução das ações educativas; elaboração e validação do material educativo; avaliação reflexiva. Os dados do diagnóstico da realidade foram obtidos em oito sessões de grupos focais (GFs). As ações educativas desenvolveram-se em quatro oficinas com os G1 e G2 e a avaliação reflexiva numa única sessão. A análise indutiva e interpretativa dos dados gerou seis categorias. O material educativo, ilustrado com figuras inéditas, teve por base evidências científicas atualizadas. A versão preliminar foi submetida à avaliação de peritos e à apreciação das mulheres. Resultados: Os itens principais do material educativo são: Conheça mais sobre a incontinencia urinária IU); Como descubro se tenho IU?; Conheça os três tipos de IU mais frequentes; A IU e o parto; A IU tem cura?; Tratamentos que existem para a mulher que tem IU; Como a IU pode afetar a vida sexual e amorosa?; As leis brasileiras para a saúde da mulher; Sugestões de mulheres para melhoria da assistência e tratamento da IU. As categorias que descrevem a experiência da IU são: 1. A urina sai sem querer: o processo de descoberta da doença; 2.Variados motivos levam a esta doença: as percepções das mulheres sobre as causas da IU; 3. Uma doença estigmatizante: significados negativos atribuídos à IU; 4. Uma doença que causa reflexos negativos na vida cotidiana: consequências sobre a vida social e a saúde; 5. Sexualidade e vida sexual afetadas: consequências da IU na vida íntima; 6. Desconhecida das mulheres e desconsiderada pelos profissionais: motivos da busca tardia pelo tratamento da IU. Discussão: As categorias reafirmaram resultados de outros estudos. As mulheres com IU sofrem danos físicos e psicológicos, com impactos negativos em sua qualidade de vida, entre outros, a vida sexual e social. Mesmo sendo patologia relevante, a IU está silenciada nas políticas públicas de saúde, por diversas deficiências, impedindo a prevenção e promoção da saúde das mulheres. As deficiências incluem falhas na infraestrutura assistencial, na escuta e tratamento humanizados pelos profissionais de saúde. Considerações finais: Espaços específicos de educação em saúde gerariam o empoderamento das mulheres na busca de estratégias de promoção da sua saúde. Pretende-se que o material educativo auxilie a educação e promoção da saúde das mulheres portadoras de IU.

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) affects a large contingent of women and is considered one of the new epidemics of the 21st century. Objective: to elaborate an educational material to promote the self-care of women with UI. The specific objectives were to explore the experiences of women with UI; Identify the doubts and needs of these women related to UI; Difficulties and potentialities in facing UI-related problems. Theoretical Framework: The interactionist and dialogical-educational premises of Paulo Freire supported this study. Methodology: An action research (AR) was developed with two groups (G1 and G2) of women with UI. The G1 was composed of 12 women from a hospital of the Unified Health System of the city of Macapá-AP. The G2 by ten women from the private network of the same municipality. The four phases of AR were diagnostic of reality; planning and execution of educational actions; rreparation and validation of educational material, and reflective evaluation. Data related to the diagnosis of reality was obtained through eight focus group sessions (FGs). The educative activities were developed through four workshops with the G1 and G2 and the reflexive evaluation in a single session. The inductive and interpretive analysis of the data generated six categories. The educational material, illustrated with original figures, was based on updated scientific evidence. The draft was submitted to expert assessment and to the appreciation of women. Results: The main items of educational material are: Learn more about UI); How do I find out if I have UI?; Know the three most common types of UI; UI and childbirth; Does UI have a cure? ; Treatments that exist for the woman who has UI; How can UI affect sexual and loving life? Brazilian laws for the health of women; Suggestions from women to improve UI care and treatment. The categories that describe the UI experience are: 1. The urine leaves unintentionally: the process of finding the disease; 2. Various reasons lead to this disease: women's perceptions about the causes of UI; 3. A stigmatizing disease: negative meanings attributed to UI; 4. A disease that causes negative reflexes in daily life: consequences on social life and health; 5. Sexuality and sexual life affected: consequences of UI on the intimate life; 6. Unknown to women and disregarded by professionals: reasons for the late search for UI treatment. Discussion: These categories reaffirmed results from other studies. Women with UI suffer physical and psychological damages, with negative impacts on their quality of life, among others, sexual and social life. Although it is a relevant pathology, the UI is silenced in public health policies, due to several deficiencies, hindering the prevention and promotion of women's health. The deficiencies include failures in healthcare infrastructure, humanized listening and treatment by health professionals. Final considerations: Specific spaces of health education would generate the empowerment of women in search of strategies to promote their health. It is intended that the educational material contributes to the education and health promotion of women with UI.

Non-pharmacological and non-surgical treatments for female urinary incontinence: an integrative review.

REVIEW AIM: To explore the outcomes of non-pharmacological and non-surgical resources used to treat female urinary incontinence (UI). DESIGN: It is an integrative review (IR) of literature. METHODS: The databases CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Lilacs, Scielo, IBECS, BDENF, and Medcarib were explored. The grey literature, hand searching, and backtracking of references of primary studies were also explored. The fifteen studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were submitted to appraisal of methodological quality and one was excluded, resulting in 14 empirical studies included in this IR. RESULTS: All the treatments, the corresponding instrumental resources, and the support provided by health care providers resulted in the improvement or cure of UI. The pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) exercise was the main way to treat UI. The multiprofessional involvement, close relationship with patients, continuous monitoring and support associated with PFM training were the factors associated with better adherence to UI treatment and its outcomes.