ABSTRACT

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a relatively common condition in middle-aged and older women. Although it is not a life-threatening condition, UI negatively impacts health-related quality of life (QOL) by affecting daily living activities, sexual and interpersonal relationships, psychological well being and social interactions. Some studies also indicate that the social problems associated with UI grow with time, but it is not clear if that is a function of increasing severity of the condition, or the particular adaptations required for coping with this problem. In this article we evaluate recent scientific observations regarding the impact of UI in QoL.