Zusammenfassung
HINTERGRUND: Während in der Fachliteratur und Medien die Harninkontinenz häufig als ein "Tabu" bezeichnet wird, gibt es keine wissenschaftlichen Daten, die diese gängige Meinung bestätigen. Das Ziel unserer Studie war die Wahrnehmung der Harninkontinenz als Tabu zu messen und diese mit anderen Krankheitsbildern, die als beschämend empfunden werden können, zu vergleichen. METHODEN: Insgesamt 150 Personen unterschiedlichen Alters und Bildungsgrades füllten einen anonymen 13-teiligen Fragebogen über die Wahrnehmung und Kenntnisse der Harninkontinenz aus. Bei der Datenauswertung wurden U-Test, Chi-square-Test mit Yates-Korrektur, Fischers exakt Wert, Kolmogorov-Smirnov-Test verwendet. ERGEBNISSE: Sechsundachtzig (60,6 %) von 142 Befragten dachten, dass Harninkontinenz in Österreich ein Tabuthema ist. Die Gesamtbevölkerung hat Harninkontinenz signifikant peinlicher empfunden als eine Depression oder Krebserkrankung (p = 0,001). SCHLUSSFOLGERUNG: Trotz der hohen Prävalenz, ist das Thema Harninkontinenz immer noch ein Tabu in bis zu 60% österreichischen Probanden. Insgesamt wird Harninkontinenz deutlich beschämender empfunden als Depression oder Krebs. Die Österreicher könnten mehr über dieses Gesundheitsproblem aufgeklärt werden.
Summary
INTRODUCTION: While urinary incontinence is often labeled as a taboo in the literature, we found no scientific data addressing this issue exclusively. The aim of our study was to measure the perception of urinary incontinence as a taboo and how this compares to other medical conditions that may be embarrassing. METHODS: 150 test persons completed a self-administered 13-item questionnaire about perception and knowledge of urinary incontinence. Data were analysed with the SPSS 10.0.5 software package using the U-test, Chi-square-test, Yates-correction, Fisher's exact test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. RESULTS: Eighty-six (60.6%) of 142 respondents thought that urinary incontinence constituted a taboo in Austria. To be incontinent was considered significantly more embarrassing than depression or cancer, respectively (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite its high prevalence, urinary incontinence is still considered a taboo in up to 60% of our Austrian test persons. The level of shame and embarrassment of urinary incontinence is significantly higher than that of depression and cancer.
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Elenskaia, K., Haidvogel, K., Heidinger, C. et al. The greatest taboo: urinary incontinence as a source of shame and embarrassment. Wien Klin Wochenschr 123, 607–610 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-011-0013-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-011-0013-0