Absorbent products use and symptom distress in women who have urinary incontinence and heart failure.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify and describe characteristics of women with heart failure (HF) and urinary incontinence (UI) who used absorbent products to manage UI and to explore the relationship between absorbent products use and women's perceptions about UI.

METHODS: Secondary analyses were conducted on an existing dataset from a study of adults with HF. Descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, binary and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify factors and explore factors related to UI absorbent products use. Mediation analysis was also performed.

RESULTS: One hundred women had UI and information about absorbent products use. One-third reported that their UI started before their HF diagnosis. Comorbidities were prevalent: hypertension (83%), diabetes mellitus (53%), probable depression (68%) and severe depression (42%). Eighty-two women reported using absorbent products. Women with severe UI (OR 0.220, 95% CI 0.052-0.925) and white women (OR 0.174, 95% CI 0.044-0.692) were more likely to use absorbent products when compared to women with less severe UI and women of colour. Use of absorbent products led to perceptions about the importance to get help for UI, which, in turn led to higher distress from UI.

CONCLUSION: To provide interventions that reduce distress from UI in women already burdened with a serious chronic disease, clinicians must screen women who have HF for UI. Clinicians must also actively listen to how women manage UI, explore their perceptions about importance to get treatment, and understand their expectations for that treatment.