지역사회 거주 요실금 노인여성의 치료추구행위와 삶의 질

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence, perception, treatment-seeking behaviors, and quality of life impact of UI among community-dwelling Korean women aged 55 and over. Across-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected from 276 women aged 55 and over in a metropolitan city by using a structured questionnaire. Of 276 respondents, 28.3%(n=78) reported UI. Only 30.8%(n=24) of the respondents with UI sought treatment from health care professionals. Older women who perceived UI as a normal part of aging and as a disease which has no specific treatments, less likely to seek treatments than their counterparts. Each of items on the Lncontinence Impact Questionnaire was affected by UI, although it was not great. There were sigrufrcant correlations between IIQ-7 scores and duration of UI, both the frequency of and amount of UI. Older women with mixed type UI had a sigruficant higher IIQ-7 score compared to those with stress UI. Perception of UI is an important factor which affecting treatment-seeking behaviors. There are great needs to develop comprehensive UI prevention and management programs to increase awareness of UI and to minimize negative impact of UI on quality of life.