Measuring the psychosocial impact of urinary incontinence: the York Incontinence Perceptions Scale (YIPS)

Abstract

Objective: The York Incontinence Perceptions Scale (YIPS) was developed to measure the psychosocial aspects of urinary incontinence and its management.

Design: Testing of internal consistency and validity of the YIPS.

Setting and participants: Subjects were 101 female rural community residents (mean age = 67.4 years) diagnosed with urinary incontinence and participating in a 25-week longitudinal randomized control study testing the efficacy of treating incontinence with a behavioral/educational intervention.

Measurements: Participants completed the YIPS, a bladder chart monitoring daily incontinence episodes, the Aids to Living Scale, the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and single-item ratings of self-perceptions of amount of leakage, continence status, and overall health status.

Main results: The YIPS had high internal consistency (a = .78). Positive adjustment on the YIPS was correlated with lower frequency of incontinence (r = -.44), and self-ratings of improvement in amount of leakage (r = .60), improved continence status (r = .38), and overall health status (r = .32). At the end of the 25-week treatment period, the participants in the treatment group reported a more positive adjustment on the YIPS than did participants in the control group (t[99] = 4.78, P < .001), which was concordant with a reduction in the incidence of incontinence in the treatment group (F[1,91] = 6.95, P < .01).

Conclusions: The YIPS is a brief, yet reliable, instrument that addresses such psychosocial issues as coping, control, and acceptance of incontinence.