Hypothesis / aims of study
Urinary incontinence (UI) is a growing global health problem that affects both women and men of all ages and can seriously negatively impact on quality of life. Healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes significantly influence the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of urinary incontinence. However, there is a notable lack of research exploring students' understanding and perceptions of UI. The AIM of the study is to assess the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare sciences students about UI, determine the difference in the knowledge level and attitudes about UI to the students' sociodemographic characteristics, and evaluate the correlation between their knowledge and attitudes towards UI.
Study design, materials and methods
The study was designed as an observational, analytical, and comparative cross-sectional with a sample of 378 healthcare science students. Healthcare science students N = 378 students (n = 154 medical students, n = 129 nursing students, and n = 95 medical rehabilitation students). A general questionnaire for obtaining sociodemographic data, the Urinary Incontinence Knowledge Scale (UIKS) and the Urinary Incontinence Attitude Scale (UIAS) were used as students' report measures.A general questionnaire for obtaining sociodemographic data, the Urinary Incontinence Knowledge Scale (UIKS) and the Urinary Incontinence Attitude Scale (UIAS) were used as students' report measures.
Interpretation of results
The findings highlight a concerning gap in understanding UI among students despite their pivotal role as future healthcare professionals. While students expressed interest in learning more about UI, their knowledge levels were low across various domains. Students exhibited the lowest knowledge levels in areas crucial for effective UI management, such as treatment modalities and symptom control.