Impact of Stress Urinary Incontinence on Quality of Life*

Evaluating the impact of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) on quality of life (QOL) is of paramount importance, as reflected in the International Continence Society’s characterization of the primary symptom as a “complaint.” Emphasis on health-related QOL also is consistent with the World Health Organization definition of health, which includes the social and emotional impacts of a medical condition. QOL has been assessed and reported by means of several general and disease-specific questionnaires, and health-related QOL has become a standard outcome measure in randomized clinical trials. A variety of questionnaires have been recommended and evaluated for assessing the impact of incontinence on QOL, and new, more specific instruments are being developed. The emphasis on QOL in patients affected by SUI underscores the importance of considering all aspects of a patient’s life before making treatment decisions and drawing conclusions about treatment success. (Adv Stud Med. 2003;3(8E):S829-S833) C ompassionate and effective management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) requires careful examination of the condition’s impact on a patient’s quality of life (QOL). The critical role of QOL is embraced in the recent International Continence Society (ICS) revision of terminology for lower urinary tract dysfunction, which describes the primary symptom of SUI as a “complaint.” The World Health Organization (WHO) has further emphasized the importance of QOL by including emotional and social well-being in the WHO definition of health. QOL is measured and reported in numerous ways by use of both general and disease-specific assessment instruments. The concept of health-related QOL has emerged as a key outcome for clinical studies. The large number of studies examining health-related QOL points to the importance of assessing all facets of a patient’s life, and the patient’s perspectives on those facets, before arriving at conclusions about the effects of treatment. Recent studies of treatment for SUI have incorporated various forms of QOL assessment and have made health-related QOL outcomes an integral part of efficacy evaluation. Studies of medical and surgical therapy have shown that effective intervention in SUI can significantly improve patient QOL. These investigations also have affirmed the importance of defining and evaluating QOL in ways that are meaningful to the patient.