Assessment of the Impact of Male Urinary Incontinence on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Population Based Study

Low Urin Tract Symptoms. 2015 Jan;7(1):22-6. doi: 10.1111/luts.12043. Epub 2013 Nov 12.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of male urinary incontinence on health-related quality of life by population based study.

Methods: A two-stage systematic sampling method was adopted. A total of 5830 men participated in this survey. Face -to-face interviews were used to collect data. Urinary incontinence and symptom bother were measured with the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6). General health-related quality of life (QoL) was measured using EQ-VAS, which evaluates the respondent's self-rated health on a vertical visual analogue scale.

Results: The age-adjusted prevalence of Korean male UI was 5.5%. Incontinent men reported higher score of UDI-6 and lower score of EQ-VAS than continent men. Men with mixed urinary incontinence reported significantly lower QoL than men with pure stress or urge incontinence.

Conclusions: Urinary incontinence affects men's QoL negatively. In particular, mixed urinary incontinence has the greatest impact on QoL.

Keywords: epidemiology; quality of life; urinary incontinence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Health Status Indicators*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life*
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • Urinary Incontinence* / diagnosis
  • Urinary Incontinence* / epidemiology