[Female urinary incontinence: implications in the adolescence]

Rev Enferm. 2012 Jan;35(1):52-6.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Involuntary urine leakage or urinary incontinence is frequent among elderly women, adult women, even among adolescent women. Adolescence is a time characterised by the importance of physical and emotional development, self-esteem being one of the key aspects to adolescent wellbeing. The main purpose of this study was to find the prevalence of urinary incontinence in a sample of female adolescents and the psychological consequences thereof The sample was comprised by a group of 154 adolescents aged 13 to 18 from a charter school. A questionnaire was developed to obtain information about possible urine leakage and a pilot test was run in order to verify its accuracy Results show that 94.2% of participants suffer from urinary incontinence occasionally. Another significant finding reveals that 27% of case reports had suffered from urinary tract infection (UTI) and participants felt upset about it. Results suggest the need to foster an effective health education among adolescents so they acquire a series of good practices that will ensure them a better quality of life during adulthood.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Urinary Incontinence / epidemiology*