Urban-Rural Comparison of Urinary Incontinence Impact in Women

Impact of Urinary Incontinence on Quality of Life and Daily Activities in Women: A Cross-Sectional Comparison Between Urban and Rural Areas

This study will examine how urinary incontinence affects women's daily activities and quality of life in urban and rural areas. Urinary incontinence means unintentional urine leakage. It may affect activities such as exercise, household tasks, social participation, travel, emotional well-being, and daily routines.

Women aged 18 to 65 years who have experienced urinary incontinence during the past 3 months may be eligible to participate. Participants will complete questionnaires about their health, urinary symptoms, severity of urine leakage, daily activities, and quality of life. The assessment is expected to take approximately 20 minutes.

This is an observational study. No medication, exercise program, medical procedure, or other treatment will be provided. The study will compare questionnaire results between women living in urban and rural areas. The findings may help improve understanding of how living environment and personal factors are associated with the impact of urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine and may negatively affect women's physical activities, household responsibilities, social participation, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. The perceived impact of urinary incontinence may vary according to living environment, access to health services, socioeconomic conditions, cultural attitudes, and daily life demands.

This cross-sectional observational study aims to compare urinary incontinence severity, urinary incontinence-related quality of life, and the impact of urinary incontinence on daily activities among women living in urban and rural areas.

Women aged 18 to 65 years who report urinary incontinence within the previous 3 months will be recruited voluntarily. Participants currently receiving medical, surgical, or conservative treatment for urinary incontinence; using a urinary catheter; having communication or cooperation problems that prevent questionnaire completion; or having neurological conditions that may cause urinary incontinence will not be included.

Eligible participants will complete a sociodemographic information form, the Three Incontinence Questions, the Incontinence Severity Index, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form, the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7, and the Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire. Data will be collected face-to-face in a private setting. No intervention, treatment, medication, exercise program, or invasive procedure will be administered.

The primary purpose is to determine whether urinary incontinence severity and its effects on daily activities and quality of life differ between women living in urban and rural areas. The study will also examine the relationship between urinary incontinence-related outcomes and sociodemographic factors, including age, education level, employment status, body mass index, chronic disease status, birth history, delivery type, income level, and menopausal status.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women aged 18 to 65 years.
• Reported urinary incontinence, including any amount of involuntary urine leakage, within the previous 3 months, as determined by the Three Incontinence Questions.
• Able to understand and complete the study questionnaires.
• Provided written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently receiving medical, surgical, or conservative treatment for urinary incontinence.
• Use of a urinary catheter or indwelling urinary device.
• Communication, cognitive, or cooperation problems that prevent completion of the questionnaires.
• Diagnosis of a neurological or chronic condition that may cause urinary incontinence, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer disease, or Parkinson disease.