HEALTH NEEDS OF WOMEN WITH URINARY INCONTINENCE: A STUDY BASED ON THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONALITY

This study aimed to identify the health needs of women with urinary incontinence and represent these needs within a biopsychosocial framework, using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as the theoretical and operational reference. This is a qualitative study based on individual interviews with 30 women diagnosed with urinary incontinence, confirmed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short Form (ICIQ-SF). The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the ICF linkage methodology to categorize the meaningful content of the participants' narratives. Absolute and relative frequencies of the emerging ICF categories were calculated, representing the components: body functions, body structures, activities and participation, and environmental factors. A total of 719 citations corresponding to 61 different ICF categories were identified. The "body functions" component had the highest number of citations (n=423), with "Urinary continence" (b6202, 170 citations; 40.19%) being the most frequent. Among the "body structures," the categories "Pelvic floor structure" (s620) and "Structure of uterus" (s6301) were equally the most cited (43.75% each). In the "activities and participation" component, "Urination function regulation" (d5300) was the most frequent (65 citations; 34.03%), while in the "environmental factors," "Services, systems, and policies related to health" (e580, 47 citations; 52.81%) stood out. This study highlights that urinary incontinence impacts anatomical, functional, social, and environmental dimensions of women’s lives, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate the biopsychosocial model. The use of the ICF proved to be valuable for mapping these health needs, providing evidence to guide comprehensive clinical interventions and public policies aimed at improving the quality of life and social inclusion of these women.