Lower urinary tract symptoms in women and quality of life

Abstract

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) are the most common symptoms in women at all age groups worldwide, and their prevalence is increasing with age. LUTSs have a multifactorial status. The risk factors are age, race, pregnancy, birth, menopause, hysterectomy, obesity, chronic cough, depression, profession and family history. LUTSs have negative effects on women's quality of life, especially on the medical, physical, social, psychological, economical and sexual aspects. Studies report a relationship between the sexual dysfunction and urogynaecological diseases. Although the pathophysiology of high prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with LUTS is not well known, it is estimated that the LUTS and sexual dysfunction occur due to the effects of low oestrogen levels on vagina, urethra, trigone epithelium and the atrophy of pelvic floor muscles. Especially women, who experience urinary incontinence (UI) and subgroup problems, report more common sexual dysfunctions (hypoactive sexual desire disorder, very urgent need for urination during the sexual intercourse and leakage, lack of sexual arousal, orgasm problems, sexual pain disorders). Despite the high prevalence of LUTS and its negative effects on the quality of life, the help‐seeking behaviours of women for overcoming LUTS differ according to the level of disturbance. Nurses should cooperate with other health care personnel in LUTS prevention, diagnosis, treatment/follow‐up, in the diagnosis of sexual dysfunction due to LUTS and its management. This article discusses the prevalence of LUTS, the risk factors of LUTS, the quality of life of women with LUTS, the negative effects of LUTS on sexual life and its nursing care.

Effect of Urinary Incontinence on Quality of Life and Self Esteem of Postmenopausal Women

“…The result was consistent with [20] his study showed that a considerable number of the respondents about two thirds reported poor QoL. Moreever, this goes in the same line by [38] who stated that the quality of life of women with UI is significantly lower than the quality of life of the women without UI. Also, result is consistent with [39] who stated that urinary incontinence have negative effects on women's quality of life, especially on the medical, physical, social, psychological, economical and sexual aspects.…”

Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and influencing factors in women

“…In addition, LUTS also include symptoms related to pelvic organ prolapse and sexual intercourse, genital and lower urinary tract pain, genito-urinary pain, and syndromes related to lower urinary tract dysfunction 1 . LUTS affects the quality of life of women negatively and is a common health problem 3 . Although the data collection tools, study population, and location vary, the prevalence of at least one LUTS in women has been reported to range between 18.7% and 84.0% in various studies [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] .…”

“…Although the data collection tools, study population, and location vary, the prevalence of at least one LUTS in women has been reported to range between 18.7% and 84.0% in various studies [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] . The LUTS prevalence increases with increasing age in the female 3,4,18 .…”

“…Apart from age, the best-known risk factor 19 , multifactorial reasons are thought to play a role in LUTS development in women 3 . The risk factors may include race, obesity, depression, pregnancy, birth, menopause, hysterectomy, chronic cough, family history and employment 2,3 .…”

Validation of the international consultation on incontinence modular questionnaire – female lower urinary tract symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) into brazilian portuguese

“…The presence of the symptoms mentioned above can negatively affect the women's quality of life, therefore, LUTS is considered a serious and relevant health problem for women, and its evaluation is important for further treatment (4,5).…”