Effect of Urinary Incontinence on Quality of Life among Iranian Women.

Objective: Present study aimed to evaluate the effects of stress, urge and mixed urinary incontinence on the quality of life and mental health of Iranian women with urinary incontinence (UI).

Methods: This was a cross sectional study of quality of life and mental health among women without and with different types of urinary incontinence (n = 140). Quality of life (QOL) and mental health were compared and measured using the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7) and the 12-items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12).

Results: Women with any types of urinary incontinence showed a significant lower degree of mental health. Women with mixed incontinence reported significantly lower QOL and mental health (P < 0.0001) compared to those with stress and urge incontinence, while there was no significant difference between women with stress and urge incontinence (P= 0.95).

Conclusions: Patients with UI showed inferior mental health and QOL while these symptoms were more severe among patients with mixed urinary incontinence.