The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental and physical fatigue and incontinence in adult women. This is the first study to examine the relationship between incontinence and both physical and mental fatigue. It is thought that the results obtained will guide the rehabilitation process of patients with incontinence.

Literate individuals between the ages of 18-65 were included in the study. The Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS) (1) was used for mental fatigue, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) (2) for physical fatigue, the Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) (3) for urinary incontinence severity, and the Incontinence Quality of Life Scale (I-QOL) (4) for quality of life. All individuals were informed about the study protocol based on the Declaration of Helsinki and their signed informed consent was obtained. Spearman correlation analysis was used in the relational analysis of the outcome measures of the assessment tools. A Spearman correlation coefficient (r) less than 0.30 indicated weak, between 0.30 and 0.70 indicated moderate, and greater than 0.70 indicated strong correlation (5). p<0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.

The study was completed with 71 participants (55 women, 16 men) with a mean age of 39.74±13.01 years. As a result of the analysis, there was a moderate positive correlation between incontinence severity and mental fatigue (r=0.301, p=0.011), moderate positive relationship between incontinence severity and physical fatigue (r=0.441, p<0.001), weak negative relationship between incontinence severity and avoidance sub-parameter of quality of life (r=-.366, p=0.002), moderate negative relationship between incontinence severity and social embarrassment domain sub-parameter of quality of life (r=-.344, p=0.003), a moderate negative correlation was found between incontinence severity and quality of life (r=-.314, p=0.008).

This study provides evidence of the relationship between incontinence and mental and physical fatigue. As a result of our study, as the severity of incontinence increases, mental and physical fatigue increases and quality of life decreases.

Evaluation of fatigue and quality of life in patients with incontinence is important. Considering the multidimensional nature of fatigue, physical and mental fatigue should be considered separately in terms of incontinence management. In addition, more comprehensive studies are needed that include fatigue-related factors (e.g. sleep, stress) in order to better understand the relationship between incontinence and fatigue.

Kilinç M, Murat G, Kinikli GI. The Reliability and Validity of the Turkish Version of the Mental Fatigue Scale In Healthy Individuals. Clinical and Experimental Health Sciences. 2021-09-27;11(3).
Armutlu K., Korkmaz NC., Keser I., Sumbuloglu V., Akbiyik DI., Guney Z., et al. The validity and reliability of the Fatigue Severity Scale in Turkish multiple sclerosis patients - PubMed. International journal of rehabilitation research Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung Revue internationale de recherches de readaptation. 2007 Mar;30(1).
H. Uyar Hazar, Sirin A. Validity and Reliability Study of the Incontinence Violence Index. Journal of ADU Faculty of Medicine. 2008;9(3):5-8.