Can patients independently identify their urinary incontinence symptoms?
Publication/Presentation Date
7-16-2020
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective of our study is to compare patient self-reported urinary incontinence symptoms based on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire- Short Form (ICIQ-SF) question number 6 (When does urine leak?) with physician-assessed interpretation of the patient's urinary incontinence symptoms.
METHODS: This trial is a cross-sectional study of patients who presented to a tertiary urogynecology center with symptoms of urinary incontinence between January 2014 and August 2016. We compared patient-reported symptoms on the ICIQ-SF with physician interpretation of urinary complaints during their initial visit. The urinary incontinence symptoms included stress urinary incontinence (SUI), urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), insensible urine loss, nocturnal enuresis, and post-micturition dribbling.
RESULTS: A total of 432 patients with a mean age of 61 were included in this evaluation. The most common urinary incontinence symptoms according to the physician were UUI (n = 357, 83%), followed by SUI (n = 308, 71%). Of the patients who were diagnosed by a physician with the symptom of UUI, only 61% self-identified as having this symptom based on the ICIQ-SF, and for SUI, only 66% self-identified as having SUI symptoms based on the ICIQ-SF. Overall UUI (κ = 0.30) appears to have poor agreement, as does nocturnal enuresis (κ = 0.39), when compared with physician historical assessment.
CONCLUSION: There is a discrepancy between patient-reported urinary incontinence symptoms on the ICIQ-SF and physician-assessed symptoms. Symptomatology entered into electronic medical records by patients is often inaccurate. Physician validation is essential in understanding the underlying the precise symptomatology.
ISSN
1433-3023
Published In/Presented At
Lozo, S., Botros, C., Iyer, S., Gafni-Kane, A., & Sand, P. (2020). Can patients independently identify their urinary incontinence symptoms?. International urogynecology journal, 10.1007/s00192-020-04404-3. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-020-04404-3
Disciplines
Obstetrics and Gynecology
PubMedID
32676693
Peer Reviewed for front end display
Peer-Reviewed
Department(s)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Document Type
Article