Sociodemographic and clinical profile of female users of public Urogynecological Physical Therapy Services

• Published in: Revista brasileira de fisioterapia (São Carlos (São Paulo, Brazil)) Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 136 - 142
• Main Authors: Figueiredo, E M, Lara, JO, Cruz, M C, Quintao, DMG, Monteiro, MVC
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: 01.04.2008
• ISSN: 1413-3555
• DOI: 10.1590/s1413-35552008000200010

Objective: To identify the sociodemographic and clinical profile of women with urinary incontinence attended at a public urogynecological physical therapy service. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study, the following information were gathered from the participants' hospital records and physical therapy evaluation forms: age, marital status, educational level, type of incontinence, risk factors, signs and symptoms, perineal function (Oxford scale) and quality of life (QOL). Descriptive statistics using frequency distributions and proportions were applied. Results: Data from 58 participants were considered. Most of them were between 40 and 59 years old (81%), were married (62%) and only had elementary education (79%). Mixed urinary incontinence was the most prevalent type (63%), followed by stress urinary incontinence (34%). Pregnancy (88%) and vaginal delivery (76%) were the most prevalent risk factors and the most prevalent symptom was urinary loss under stress (97%). Perineal function grade 2 was the most frequent type (41%) and the participants' quality of life distribution ranged between poor (10%), moderate (33%), good (28%) and excellent (24%). Conclusions: This study provides data that contribute towards ascertaining the profile of the women with urinary incontinence who are attended in public services that offer urogynecological physical therapy. Furthermore, it may assist in developing preventive and rehabilitative interventions in such services.