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Introduction: Urinary incontinence is a common problem that has a profound impact on quality of life (QOL)1. Awareness of these QOL challenges can assist service providers in developing sensitive, meaningful programs for those seeking assistance for incontinence. This study assesses this group's overall contentment with life.
Methodology: A request to complete a comprehensive health and life assessment was posted on a website for those seeking assistance with urinary incontinence. It is recognized that those with urinary incontinence can be a difficult-to-reach population, therefore random sampling is not feasible. The assessment tool is a self reported web based survey. It has been assessed for reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89) and validity. Sample size = 397, margin of error = 5%.
Results and Discussion: Contentment, defined as comfort and a feeling of personal satisfaction, is central to the concept of quality of life. Sixty-three percent of respondents report being content with themselves. The data indicates that contentment strongly correlates with an active lifestyle and the ability to adapt to one’s situation. Spouse/life partner communication and satisfaction with life issues of social, sexual, family life, leisure activities, and financial status are strongly correlated with overall contentment. Significant correlates with lack of contentment include higher body mass index, hygiene, fatigue or sleep issues, the need to change work habits, not being able to fully take care of one’s self, and the need to manage fluid intake.
Conclusion: Interruptions of basic, daily activities due to incontinence are strongly related to how content these individuals feel. Whereas contentment shows correlations with a positive life view, discontentment follows from daily disturbances. By understanding the client's or population's specific perspective of their QOL and contentment, focused interventions can be developed to increase the likelihood of enhancing their life's quality.
Methodology: A request to complete a comprehensive health and life assessment was posted on a website for those seeking assistance with urinary incontinence. It is recognized that those with urinary incontinence can be a difficult-to-reach population, therefore random sampling is not feasible. The assessment tool is a self reported web based survey. It has been assessed for reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89) and validity. Sample size = 397, margin of error = 5%.
Results and Discussion: Contentment, defined as comfort and a feeling of personal satisfaction, is central to the concept of quality of life. Sixty-three percent of respondents report being content with themselves. The data indicates that contentment strongly correlates with an active lifestyle and the ability to adapt to one’s situation. Spouse/life partner communication and satisfaction with life issues of social, sexual, family life, leisure activities, and financial status are strongly correlated with overall contentment. Significant correlates with lack of contentment include higher body mass index, hygiene, fatigue or sleep issues, the need to change work habits, not being able to fully take care of one’s self, and the need to manage fluid intake.
Conclusion: Interruptions of basic, daily activities due to incontinence are strongly related to how content these individuals feel. Whereas contentment shows correlations with a positive life view, discontentment follows from daily disturbances. By understanding the client's or population's specific perspective of their QOL and contentment, focused interventions can be developed to increase the likelihood of enhancing their life's quality.