Portrait representation of postmenopausal women's experiences of living with urinary incontinence

• Main Authors: Pakgohar, Minoo, Tengku Abdul Hamid, Tengku Aizan, Ibrahim, Rahimah, Dastjerdi, Marzieh Vahid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 2015
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/45897/1/SELF.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/45897/; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08952841.2014.928145?journalCode=wjwa20

This study explored the meaning of the experiences of community-dwelling postmenopausal women who were born and grew up in a Muslim country when drawing a picture about their lived experiences of urinary incontinence. Hermeneutic phenomenology underpinned the study’s interpretive research approach. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted in two sessions with nine postmenopausal women. The participants were asked to draw a picture about their lived experiences of urinary incontinence in a self-portrait. Three themes emerged to illuminate the meaning of urinary incontinence, including “disruption of normal functioning,” “self-imposed restrictions,” and “feeling of despair.” Discussion of these themes was presented, and practice and research implications were suggested.