Effect of Urinary Incontinence on the Quality of Life of Older Adults in Riyadh: Medical and Sociocultural Perspectives

Objectives The objective of the study is to determine the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on the quality of life (QoL) of the Saudi elderly population. Besides, we investigated individuals’ help-seeking behaviors and the religious and cultural aspects of UI among the Saudi elderly. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using a random sample of 150 Saudi older adults of both genders. The participants were outpatient clinics of government and private hospitals in Riyadh from January-March 2019. Volunteer medical students interviewed and distributed a standard questionnaire form (Arabic version of the ICIQ-SF [International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire] with 33 additional questions, four of which came from them from the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) to the targeted population. Results In this study, there were 124 elderly participants (response rate 83%), of whom 62.9% were women. The mean age was 71.9 (±7.8). The "moderate" and "severe" ICIQ scores account for 78 (62.9%) and 32 (25.8%), respectively. There was a significant association between the ICIQ scores severity of UI and increasing BMI, nocturnal diuresis, urinary tract infection, and lung diseases. However, 36.3% of participants did not seek help due to misconceptions about UI and aging, unavailability of treatment, and embarrassment of sharing such symptoms with others. The participants suffered from limitations of social life (36.3%), a negative impact on their physical activity (18.5%), personal hygiene (21.8%), and their self-esteem (32.3%). About 17% and 33.1% of participants repeat ablution and prayers of participants, respectively. Conclusions Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common and distressing problem in the elderly. A large proportion of the participants had a detrimental effect on their quality of life. A substantial percentage of older adults did not seek help. As a result, we recommended raising awareness about UI, QoL, the misconceptions, and encourage them to overcome the stigma of embarrassment and seek medical help.