Urinary incontinence and female sexual function: an integrative review of validated questionnaires

Objective: To analyze the national and international scientific production regarding the relationship between the ICIQ-UI-SF (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Urinary Incontinence/Short Form (ICIQ-UI/SF) and FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index) in the female population. Methods: Integrative literature review, carried out from December 2017 to May 2018, in the Scielo, Lilacs, Scopus and Pubmed databases. Searches were conducted through the association of the names of the questionnaires as descriptors, without delimitations regarding the year of publication, language, and availability of full text. Findings with a level of evidence of at least 3A for observational studies were prioritized. There was a total of five scientific papers. Results: The evidence found about the direct relationship of the instruments had as predominant objective their application to validate the effectiveness of surgical techniques to correct urinary incontinence. Even with the improvement of incontinence, the findings were different regarding the improvement of sexual function, showing changes only in some FSFI domains, or no change. Only one study sought to investigate the direct relationship of the instruments, indicating a poor connection. On the other hand, the isolated search of the instruments, associated with specific descriptors, indicated that urinary incontinence is a determining factor for the deterioration of both quality of life and sexual function. Conclusion: The low number of productions and results found have shown that a deeper understanding of the subject is necessary for a justification and qualification of care for patients with urinary incontinence.