Connection Between Sexual Activity And Urinary Incontinence - Article Example

Critical Review of Journal In their journal article, Tannenbaum, Corcos, and Assalian conducteda research to deduce a conclusion regarding the connection between sexual activity and urinary incontinence (UI). The findings revealed to have no correlation between sexual activity and the frequency of UI although the two variables were related to each other independently (Tannenbaum, Corcos, and Assalian, 1220). While the authors effectively considered marital status and age to be important determinants of sexual activity among older women, they failed to include other factors including family structure and the socioeconomic conditions. The authors seem to assume the old women to be lonely nesters or solitary survivors. Also, the socioeconomic background of the women has completely been ignored. These factors should have been analyzed in order to come down to a more relevant and sound conclusion. Not only these, but the ten item questionnaire seems to have provided a limitation as it restricted the participants to respond to a fixed set of responses eliminating the scope of probing. According to one definition, a primary source is a written matter which is authentic (Princeton University, n.pag.). Primary sources also include peer reviewed articles in journals that present a study on a new subject rather than the commenting and assessing the findings of a previous research. Under such conditions, the journal article is a primary source as the authors have carried out a research by employing a particular methodology, structure, and so on. Instead of translating and explaining available knowledge, the authors have made an effort to conduct a study by using a suitable questionnaire (quantitative method) of gathering data. Such data has then been tested for validity and reliability by making it go through a series of statistical tests. The questionnaire used in order to conduct the research has been International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form and by statistically analyzing the data acquired from the participants’ response; a conclusion has been drawn that defines the relationship between UI and sexual activity. The research has employed a purely quantitative methodology for collecting data. As mentioned, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ) has been used to evaluate the impact of symptoms experienced as a result of UI on the lives of older women. Although the questionnaire is very simple and provides extensive information regarding the variables under study, however, the fact that it is a quantitative from of research limits the responses to a fixed set of preset answers. As a result, the participant’s are not able to provide any other relevant information apart from the items present in the questionnaire. Qualitative methodology including semi-structured interviews could generate more relevant and specific responses from the participants. While I thought that other determinants of sexual activity should have been considered, a research reports age and the individual’s score from the ICIQ short form to be the best forecasters of UI (Timmermans, Falez, Melot, and Wespes, n.pag.). Therefore, the use of a quantitative method particularly the ICIQ-SF score was essential in predicting UI although its effectiveness in finding the relationship between sexual activity and UI is questionable. The authors have used various peer reviewed journal articles as sources. However, the data obtained from their research using the ICIQ short form has been the most important in coming down to the conclusion. While the authors have backed up their claims using references from journal articles, the role of the data provided from the ICIQ questionnaire response has been critical. Throughout the research, a discussion using the data obtained from the questionnaire has been used and further clarified using support from journal articles. Various tables present in the research demonstrate that statistical testing has been carried out in order to assess the data. Many predictors of sexual activity among incontinent women have been mentioned ignoring the socioeconomic conditions and family structure of old women. More scientific variables has been present than other qualitative factors as affecting sexual activity. An effort has been made to relate theories with the findings in order to explain the data extensively. Both statistical as well as logical evidence is provided to support the research. The authors have drawn conclusion based on available data and have effectively backed them up by evidences from journal articles. In the conclusion, the data has been interpreted beyond the correlation between sexual activity and UI and has used the data to provide an explanation for the failure to acknowledge improved sexual functioning with recovery from UI. The research has provided important information regarding other factors impacting the sexuality of older women. While the data showed a lack of any direct correlation between the frequency of UI and sexual activity, more interpretation has been made on their relationship disregarding incontinence as impacting sexual activity of older women. No interpretation has been provided for the independent association of UI and sexual activity. Although the authors have mentioned a myriad of factors affecting sexual activity, they have failed to consider factors like socioeconomic conditions and family structure. By doing so, I believe the authors have assumed a particular family structure although one of the item in the questionnaire relates to living alone. All the responses provided for the items have been statistically analyzed by the authors to come down to a conclusion of the relation between the two variables thereby accounting for all the data. The research acknowledges the limitations that occurred during the collection of data as a result of bed ridden, sexually inhibited, and other women. In conclusion, the research article has employed a suitable methodology and structure however some aspects including interpretation could have done with more detail. In addition to a quantitative method, I believe a qualitative semi structured interview would have allowed deeper questioning providing a more comprehensive coverage of the research variables. Overall, a reasonable attempt has been made to provide suitable evidences to support the data although the authors could utilize theoretical models to provide a foundation for their study. Nevertheless, its statistically backed conclusions have been credible and have provided useful information for the awareness of researchers and clinicians. Works Cited “Primary vs Secondary Sources.” Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. . Tannenbaum, Cara, Corcos, Jacques, and Assalian, Pierre. “The Relationship Between Sexual Activity and Urinary Incontinence in Older Women.” Journal of The American Geriatrics Society 54.8 (2006): 1220–1224. Timmermans, Luc, Falez, Freddy, Melot, Christian and Wespes, Eric. “Validation of use of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) for impairment rating: A transversal retrospective study of 120 patients.” Neurourology and Urodynamics 32.7 (2013): 974–979. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. . Read More