Older Americans say that urinary incontinence has a greater negative effect on the quality of life than severe chronic illnesses including diabetes, arthritis, and even some forms of cancer, according to a recent study by AARP and UnitedHealthcare.
The findings of the study indicate that urinary incontinence, or the inability to completely control urination, severely disrupts general well-being and quality of life and has a powerful negative effect on mental health.
These findings echo previous studies in which both men and women said that incontinence episodes significantly interfered with just about all aspects of life, including work, social and family interactions, and daily activities.
Depression, Self-Doubt, and Anxiety Associated With Incontinence
Feelings of inadequacy, personal failure, social isolation, and pervasive anxiety are typically associated with even mild to moderate incontinence, other studies have shown. University of Alabama research reported in Health And Quality Of Life Outcomes in August, 2003 indicated that there is a very strong link between incontinence and depression, which the research defined as “an alteration in mood ranging from a mild sadness to overwhelming despair. It is characterized by feelings of sadness, emptiness, dissatisfaction, lowered self-esteem, inactivity, and self-depreciation”.
A Widespread But Misunderstood Condition
Though incontinence is one of the most common physical problems, effecting more than 35 percent of Americans, it is also one of the least understood. Anxiety, embarrassment, and pervasive misunderstandings about causes and treatment options make incontinence a very sensitive topic that frequently goes unreported.
35 percent of the 5,000 participants who responded to the AARP study said they experienced episodes of urinary incontinence, but less than half of them said they had spoken to their physicians about it and only a third had received treatment for it.
Experts say the reluctance to discuss incontinence is largely based on confusion about the condition itself and mistaken ideas about what treatment options are available. Many people automatically associate incontinence with a variety of negative personal implications such as lack of will power, laziness, or simply not trying to control oneself, and most older people feel a strong sense of shame and embarrassment about incontinence that makes even discussing the issue with a physician very difficult.
Even among those who view incontinence as the medical condition that it is, there is a significant lack of awareness of treatment options. Though many people think that hiding the condition is their only choice, in reality there are many effective treatments that range from behavioral modification, exercises, and medications to surgical interventions.
The AARP study authors said the findings clearly illustrate the impact of incontinence on the quality of life and suggest ways in which the medical community can enhance patients’ mental and emotional as well as physical health.