Table 3.
Beliefs and help-seeking behavior in relation to urinary incontinence
| Beliefs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prognosis UI without seeking help | Help-seekers (N = 35) | Non-help-seekers (N = 232) |
| Complete recovery | 1 (2.9) | 71 (30.6) |
| Good improvement | 1 (2.9) | 59 (25.4) |
| Some improvement | 3 (8.6) | 36 (15.5) |
| About the same | 13 (37.1) | 44 (19.0) |
| Some deterioration | 7 (20.0) | 13 (5.6) |
| Great deterioration | 8 (22.9) | 8 (3.4) |
| Worse than ever | 2 (5.7) | 1 (0.4) |
| Best way to solve UI | ||
| Surgery | 3 (8.6) | 3 (1.3) |
| Medication | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Pelvic floor muscle exercises | 24 (68.6) | 167 (72.0) |
| It will resolve by itself | 0 (0) | 30 (12.9) |
| There is no solution | 0 (0) | 3 (1.3) |
| I do not know | 5 (14.3) | 22 (9.5) |
| Other | 3 (8.6) | 7 (3.0) |
| Help-seeking | Help-seekers | Non-help-seekers |
| Reason to seek help | I sought help because* | I will seek help in the future if# |
| Getting wet clothes/leaking through | 6 (17.1) | 70 (30.2) |
| Need to use pad all the time | 7 (20.0) | 110 (47.4) |
| Others can smell me | 0 (0) | 77 (33.2) |
| Hindrance during sports | 5 (14.3) | 29 (12.5) |
| Hindrance during work | 3 (8.6) | 56 (24.1) |
| Hindrance playing with children | 0 (0) | 41 (17.7) |
| Hindrance during household tasks/activities | 1 (2.9) | 27 (11.6) |
| I do not know | 0 (0) | 28 (12.1) |
| Other reason(s) | 13 (37.1) | 30 (12.9) |
| Reason not to seek help | Non-help-seekers (N = 232) | |
| Minimal bother | 123 (53.0) | |
| It will improve by itself | 89 (38.4) | |
| Postpone until after delivery | 75 (32.3) | |
| Lack of time | 8 (3.4) | |
| No childcare | 5 (2.2) | |
| Costs | 2 (0.9) | |
| No transport | 0 (0.0) | |
| Other | 22 (9.5) | |
N = number, UI = urinary incontinence, * = one answer possible, # = multiple answers possible