Özet:

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of urinary incontinence on the quality of life of elderly people living at home and those living in a hospice by focusing on the different demographic and incontinence related factors. Method: The study was designed as a cross-sectional descriptive study and was conducted between December 2015 and June 2016. Fifty participants aged ≥ 65 years who met the inclusion criteria were incruited in the study. Twenty-five of them were admitted by random sampling method from patients applying to faculty’s geriatric outpatient clinic with the complaint of incontinence. The other 25 were selected according to the study criteria out of elderly people living in the Darulaceze Institute. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-ShortForm (ICIQ-SF), Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) scale, and Katz Activities of Daily Living scale were used with all the individuals. Other variables were assessed using a demographic data form. Results: There was no difference between the quality of life (QOL) scores between the hospice and home groups (p=0.836, p=0.865, p=0.841, p=0.883). Social life was the most affected subdomain for both groups. Urinary incontinence (UI) affected psychologic effect (PE) and behavioral restriction (BR) aspects of QOL in individuals between the ages of 65 and 75 years more than those >75 years of age in the hospice (p=0.024, p=0.019). A higher UI output lowered BR scores only in hospice patients (p=0.016). For both groups, frequent incontinence episodes indicated a significantly lower QOL in terms of PE than rare episodes (p=0.032-home, p=0.022-hospice) and lower QOL in BR in home care (p=0.037). Mixed type incontinence affected QOL in terms of BR more than other types of incontinence in both groups (p=0.019-hospice, p=0.007-home). There was a significant correlation between I-QOL and ICIQ-SF visual analogue scale scores that measured quality of life (r=-0.64, p<0.001). Conclusions: Frequency of incontinence episodes is the major factor affecting QOL in both groups. Incontinence output has a significant role in QOL for hospice patients. The ICIQ-SF visual scale may be sufficient to evaluate the quality of life. I-QOL can be used for further evaluation of different aspects. Studies on incontinence and QOL in the institutionalized and home-care elderly population should be encouraged to improve conditions.

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