A Study on Stress Incontinence in Women in Korea

여성의 긴장성 요실금에 관한 연구

This study was done to determine the situations of stress incontinence(SI) and the differences in general characteristics, obstetrical history and SI related variables between women with stress incontinence and normal women. The design for study was a descriptive study. The number of subjects consisted of 156 women who were selected by systematic random sampling in Kwangju city. Data collection was done with the modified Hendrickson's Stress Incontinence Scale(1981) which was analyzed using frequency and percentiles. The results were as follows : 1. The stress incontinence (SI) rate of the sample was 64.1% and the majority of the women(40.9%) had experienced SI for a period of five years(the mean period was 2.7 years) without any treatment or care(83.0%). The amount of SI was from one drop(40.0%) to one teaspoon(16.7%) daily. 2. Items on the SI scale had the scores ranging from 4 to 44 with a mean score of 13.7 which showed mild SI. 3. The priority of provocative factors for SI were abdominal tightening(83%), coughing(58%), laughing(52%), sneezing(40%), steeping(18%), sudden standing(17%), nose blowing(13%), heavy exercise(11%), rapid walking up-stairs(10%) and excitment (9%) in that order. 4. There were no significant differences in age, education, spouse, job and income between the women with SI and the normal women. 5. There were no significant differences in the age at the last delivery, age of last baby. number of vaginal, or cesarean deliveries, or abdominal operations between the women with SI and the normal women. It can be concluded that SI in women has a high incidence nth various provocative factors but it is relatively mild SI on a daily basis and generally there has been no treatment. It is suggested that a descriptive study of emotional problems and precipitating variables in SI women will increase the knowledge of SI.