MENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG WOMEN WITH INCONTINENCE

Incontinence is an individual's involuntary incontinence of urine and/or feces. It is a serious health problem that significantly affects the individual's mental health and quality of life. Women experience incontinence 3-4 times higher than men, and the prevalence of incontinence continuously increases with age in both sexes. The diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation process affect an individual psychologically, physically, socially, and emotionally. Women who suffer from incontinence restrict daily life, such as not exercising, traveling, and having social and emotional interactions. Over time women socially isolated and may lose their self-confidence. It decreases the quality of life with feelings of shame, depression, anxiety, and discomfort. This process affects women's mental health. The review aims to examine the effects of incontinence on women's mental health and quality of life in line with current researches and suggestions that women's health and psychiatric nurses implement in the clinic areas.