Urinary Incontinence: Lived Experience of Adult Women. A Phenomenological Study Protocol

Introduction. Urinary incontinence is a common yet underreported condition among women, affecting up to 69% but often hidden due to stigma. While various treatments exist, women’s help-seeking and self-management are shaped by personal beliefs, emotions, and cultural context. In Italy, access to services, informal networks and the sensitivity of intimate health topics may influence how women perceive, talk about, and manage urinary incontinence. Objective. Explore, within an Italian context, the lived experience of adult women with urinary incontinence, focusing on how they interpret and make meaning of their condition, their daily coping strategies, emotional responses, and the complex factors shaping their engagement with care. Methods and Analysis. This qualitative phenomenological study will use Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Participants attending pelvic floor rehabilitation at an outpatient clinic in Northern Italy will be purposively sampled. Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews and socio-demographic questionnaires until interpretative sufficiency is reached. Audio recordings will be transcribed verbatim and analysed by the researchers, both manually and with NVivo. Reflexivity, double coding, triangulation, and an audit trail will be employed to ensure trustworthiness. Ethical approval has been obtained, and informed consent will be secured from all participants. Expected Results. The study will highlight psychosocial aspects often overlooked in care, informing person-centered, flexible interventions to improve patient engagement and adherence. It will support efforts to reduce stigma, promote timely help-seeking, and enhance healthcare professionals’ empathy and communication skills. Limitations include exclusion of women not engaged in rehabilitation and the sensitive nature of the topic, which may affect participant openness.