Impact of urinary incontinence on the quality of life of individuals undergoing radical prostatectomy

OBJECTIVE: to assess the level of urinary incontinence and its impact on the quality of life of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. METHOD: cross-sectional study carried out with prostatectomized patients. The data were collected from the following instruments: sociodemographic questionnaire, Pad Test, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form and King Health Questionnaire. Data were submitted to descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis. The level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: a total of 152 patients participated, with a mean age of 67 years. Among incontinent patients, there was a predominance of mild urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence had a very severe impact on the general assessment of quality of life in the first months and severe impact after six months of surgery. The greater the urinary loss, the greater the impact on the quality of life domains Physical Limitations, Social Limitations, Impact of Urinary Incontinence and Severity Measures. Most participants reported no erection after surgery and therefore did not respond to the question of the presence of urinary incontinence during sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: the present study evidenced the occurrence of urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy at different levels and its significant impact on the quality of life of men, which reveals the need of interventions for controlling it.