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An assessment of the importance of pad testing in stress urinary incontinence and the effects of incontinence on the life quality of women

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Abstract

Our objectives in this study were to determine the severity of incontinence using pad testing and the effects of incontinence on the life quality of women with stress incontinence. Fifty women with a diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence were selected for the study. The Symptom Severity Index (SSI) and Symptom Impact Index (SII) were used to determine the severity and impact of incontinence. Afterwards the women were given a 1-h pad test. According to the pad tests 38% of women suffered severe to very severe incontinence. Women who showed severe incontinence on pad testing scored high in the SSI; on the other hand, no relationship was found between SII and pad test indicators. It was also observed that both SSI and SII scores increased with increasing age of the women (SSI: r=0.29, P<0.05; SII: r=0.30 P<0.05). It may therefore be concluded that the severity of incontinence makes no difference in the effects of incontinence on the life quality of women.

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Abbreviations

SSI:

Symptom Severity Index

SII:

Symptom Impact Index

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Research Fund of the University of Istanbul. Project number: B-743/12092000.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Florence Nightingale College of Nursing, University of Istanbul, Sisli Istanbul, Turkey

    E. Aslan & N. K. Beji

  2. College of Nursing, Koc University, Nisantasi Istanbul, Turkey

    A. Coskun

  3. Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Capa Istanbul, Turkey

    O. Yalcin

Authors
  1. E. Aslan
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  2. N. K. Beji
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  3. A. Coskun
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  4. O. Yalcin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Aslan.

Additional information

Editorial Comment: The authors have used the pad test as an objective measure of the severity of incontinence. The Symptom Severity Index (SSI) and Symptom Impact Index (SII) were used to look at the impact of the incontinence on lifestyle and compare this to the severity. The severity of incontinence made no difference to the quality of life of the women assessed.

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Aslan, E., Beji, N.K., Coskun, A. et al. An assessment of the importance of pad testing in stress urinary incontinence and the effects of incontinence on the life quality of women. Int Urogynecol J 14, 316–320 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-003-1088-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-003-1088-6

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