Path analysis of urinary incontinence in older adults living in nursing homes

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the factors associated with urinary incontinence in older adults living in nursing homes. Methods: This exploratory, cross-sectional, observational, and quantitative study used exploratory and path analysis (PA). Eighty-six older adults living in nursing homes in the city of Salvador, Brazil, and the city of Brasília, Brazil, were included. Data were collected from January to March 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic. The following variables were evaluated: sex, age group, functional performance, global cognitive function, comorbidities, and health conditions. We considered urinary incontinence for older adults who answered affirmatively to the “In the last 12 months, have you had an involuntary loss of urine?”. Data were initially analyzed by descriptive analysis and nonparametric statistical tests. A PA was performed using generalized structural equation modeling to investigate the relationship between the variables of interest and the direct and indirect effects of the independent variables and UI according to the theoretical model. Subsequently, the statistical distributions of the variables and the connections were defined for the regression estimation. After the analysis, the model was respecified, excluding the variables and paths that were not statistically significant to determine the best model. The final model was designed after statistical adjustments, corroborating or not with the theoretical model. Results: Urinary incontinence was associated with educational level, marital status, hypertension, one or more difficulties in basic activities of daily living, mood, insomnia, loss of appetite, fecal incontinence, and difficulty swallowing. In the PA, depression and difficulty swallowing were directly associated with urinary incontinence, and urinary incontinence was directly and significantly associated with insomnia and fecal incontinence. Conclusion: Given the variety of social and health components associated with urinary incontinence, it is necessary to assess, prevent, treat, and rehabilitate this condition in Brazilian nursing homes. Interventions in urinary incontinence demand integrated actions in functional, clinical, and mental health aspects to promote the well-being of older adults living in nursing homes.