Managing the silent burden: a grounded theory study on urinary incontinence in older women

Le résumé fourni par la source

INTRODUCTION: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a significant and common health problem among older women. Exploring their experiences in managing their condition can be an effective way to improve the care process for these patients. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of explaining the process of managing urinary incontinence in older women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative study, employing a grounded theory approach, was conducted from 2019 to 2022 among older women with urinary incontinence. Purposive and theoretical sampling were used, and the participants were selected from older women who referred to comprehensive health centers in Ahvaz. Data were collected using in-depth, unstructured interviews, field notes, and memo writing. A total of 40 interviews were conducted with 37 participants, with each interview lasting approximately 20 to 70 min. The interviews continued until category saturation was reached. Data analysis was performed using the Corbin and Strauss (2008) method, and MAXQDA version 10 software was used to facilitate data management. FINDINGS: Through data analysis, 35 initial categories, 10 subcategories, and three main categories were extracted, including: " Inadequacy in the provision of healthcare services," " Psycho-social burnout," and " Adaptive Interaction with the Condition." The main concern of the participants in this study was "A deficit in organizing life threatened by the disease." Ultimately, the core category that emerged from the combination of the categories was " Striving for adaptation and regaining control over the condition," which was the connecting factor for all categories and concepts derived from the research. CONCLUSION: This study provided valuable findings about the process of managing UI in older women with this condition within our Iranian-Islamic culture, which is significant in the field of providing specialized care to older people in our society. The discovery of concepts that were previously hidden in the lives of these older women due to the nature of the disease seems necessary to provide them with proper and safe care, as well as to help them manage their disease more effectively before it disrupts their natural life process.

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