Coping and Help-Seeking Behaviors for Management of Urinary Incontinence

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the coping strategies and help-seeking behaviors of women and men with urinary incontinence (UI).

Methods: In cross-sectional study, 156 women and 106 men Turkish with UI were interviewed using a questionnaire covering 29 questions.

Results: It was determined that 50.6% of women and 34.0% of men seek help in first for treatment of UI. Forty eight percent of men consulted a physician in the first 6 months after the UI occurred, 44.9% of women consulted a physician 2-5 years later after the UI occurred. Coping behaviors of both groups for management of the UI were as follows: keeping feet warm, performing hot application to perineum, reducing the amount of daily drinking water, using pad, cloth pads, restricting physical activity, refraining from social life and praying etc.

Conclusions: While women mostly do not prefer to seek medical advice for UI, men tend to go to doctors more often than women. Except for treatment seeking behaviors, both men and women are practicing coping methods for the management of UI such as going frequently to the toilet, keeping feet warm, hot application to perineum etc.

Keywords: coping; gender; help-seeking behavior; urinary incontinence.