Staying silent: Why women fail to report symptoms of bladder weakness to their physician

Why is it that women who experience bladder weakness are often reluctant to discuss this common problem with their physician, the one person who may be able to help them with their problem? A search of the literature points to some common themes among women who chose not to seek help in coping with bladder weakness.

Hagglund et al (2003) performed a telephone survey of 95 women who experienced urinary incontinence persistently. The results of the survey found that 74% of the women had never sought help for their condition. The most common reason cited for not consulting a physician regarding their bladder weakness was that the women felt that bladder weakness was a minor problem, one they felt they could cope with on their own, not requiring medical assistance. Women who did seek help did so because of their fear that bladder weakness would cause them to carry the odor of urine. These women viewed incontinence as an embarrassing and shameful condition. Their embarrassment prevented them from seeking help until the embarrassment was overcome by fear of the odor of urine.

Abrams et al (2006) performed a large survey of women who were attending primary care practices, not necessarily for the reason of bladder weakness. Of the 3273 women who responded, it was discovered that 21% of the women surveyed had experienced stress urinary incontinence, 3.5% had experienced urge incontinence and 21% had experienced a mixture of both of these types of incontinence. In addition, 9% of these women stated that their symptoms were moderate to severe. More than half of the women (53%) had not told their family doctor about their experience of bladder weakness; of those whose incontinence could be graded as moderate to severe, only 1 in 10 sought help.

MacKay and Hemmett (2001) surveyed a large sample of women to determine why women fail to report symptoms of bladder weakness to their physicians. Women surveyed were aged 45 and older, of whom 46% admitted to symptoms of significant urinary incontinence. Reasons given for not consulting their physician regarding the problem were:

• the women felt they could cope on their own
• the women thought that bladder weakness was an inevitable part of aging
• the women felt that the problem was too embarrassing to bring up to their GP

All three of these studies have common elements. A significant number of women experience bladder weakness, and an even more significant number do not seek help for this problem, believing it to be part of the aging process, a problem of little consequence or a problem too embarrassing to discuss with their physicians. It is this last issue that is the largest barrier towards living a life free from the constraints of bladder weakness.

Why is it that women find the issue of bladder weakness so shameful? After all, we freely discuss our periods, our pregnancies and other “female problems” with our physicians without feeling shame. Why is incontinence any different from these other “normal” issues?

The difference may lie in the fact that society views bladder weakness as shameful; in fact, there is a taboo regarding discussing the issue freely. At one time, women did not freely discuss issues of menstruation easily- it took years for attitudes towards menstruation to change, and for it to be viewed as a natural part of being a woman and not something that had to be hidden. Although bladder weakness is not necessarily a natural consequence of womanhood, significant numbers of women experience the problem, whether transiently or persistently, and attitudes towards bladder weakness need to change along with the times. Women are now living longer lives, and incontinence should not simply be viewed as an expected consequence of living longer. Instead, women need to be proactive in obtaining a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Living longer should not come at the price of the loss of bladder control.

Fortunately, technology has also come a long way. Today, women who experience bladder weakness can find comfort in knowing that products are available to help them cope with bladder weakness even as they seek a cure for the condition. Much like modern day products designed for menstruation, these products allow women to live their lives free from worry about embarrassing leakage or odor. These products are discreet and comfortable, and provide a measure of security to women who suffer from bladder weakness.

DryForLife incontinence products adhere to the highest industry standards, offering affordability, comfort and security to women who are experiencing bladder weakness. At DryForLife, we understand that bladder weakness is a condition that many women experience, yet few are comfortable discussing. We know that discreetness is paramount; for this reason, we offer discreet delivery and online ordering. Should you require assistance in choosing the right product to suit your needs and lifestyle, we offer personal, private and friendly advice via our help line. In addition, we are dedicated to bringing you the most current incontinence information available.

Sources:
Hagglund, D., Larsson, G., Leppert, J. & Walker-Engstrom, M. (2003). Reasons why women with long-term urinary incontinence do not seek professional help: A cross-sectional population-based cohort study. International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Nov; 14(5), pg. 296-304.

Hemmett, L. & MacKay, K. (2001). Needs assessment of women with urinary incontinence in a district health authority. The British Journal of General Practice: the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Oct; 51(471), pg. 801-804.

Abrams, P., Assassa, R., Bushnell, D., Gupta, R., Hardwick, C., Martin, M., Mayne, C., Shaw, C. & Wagg, A. (2006). The extent and severity of urinary incontinence amongst women in UK GP waiting rooms. British Journal of General Practice, Oct; 23(5), pg. 497-506.

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