Social support and knowledge of the disease have been shown to facilitate adaptation to a chronic disease. However, the adaptation process is not fully understood. We hypothesized that these factors can contribute to better adaptation to the disease through their impact on disease-related cognitive appraisal. To analyze the links between social support and the knowledge of the disease, on one hand, and disease-related appraisals, on the other hand, one hundred fifty-eight women with stress UI, aged 32 to 79, took part in the study. Questionnaire measures of knowledge of UI, social support, and disease-related appraisals were used in the study. The level of knowledge correlated significantly negatively with the appraisal of the disease as Harm. The global level of social support correlated significantly positively with three disease-related appraisals: Profit, Challenge, and Value. Four subgroups of patients with different constellations of social support and knowledge of the disease were identified in cluster analysis and were demonstrated to differ significantly on four disease-related appraisals: Profit, Challenge, Harm, and Value. Different cognitive appraisals of UI may be specifically related to social support and knowledge of the disease, with social support affective positive disease-related appraisals, and the knowledge affecting the appraisal of Harm.

Introduction: Menopause is the last natural menstruation, followed by a period of 12 months during which no bleeding occurs (WHO). This natural process results from the phasing out of the physiological activity of the ovaries and involves numerous psychological and somatic disturbances. Although perimenopausal ailments are experienced by most women, the correlation between their perception of the bodies and biopsychosocial functioning in the climacteric period is not fully understood. The aim of the study was to determine whether women's body image varies depending on the period of their reproductive life. Material and methods: 113 women aged 25-60 were examined (both menopausal and postmenopausal) with the control group comprising 58 women. The following scales were used: the Appearance-Related Picture Self-Appraisal Form and the Appearance Self-Appraisal Scale. Results: The study demonstrated statistically significant differences between the groups on 7 scales and the overall score. It can be said that postmenopausal women, whose ovarian activity has nearly ceased, in comparison with those in the premenopausal and menopausal groups attribute lower importance to the following areas of the body: eyes, nose, mouth, stomach, buttocks, thighs, and calves. The mean values of satisfaction in the three groups under comparison were not statistically different. Conclusions: The subjects of the postmenopausal group attribute lower importance to different body areas, deriving greater satisfaction from their own bodies.

IntroductionUrinary incontinence (UI) involves uncontrolled leakage of urine through the urethra as a result of damage to its sphincter muscle and a disturbed function of the urogenital diaphragm within the pelvis minor. The symptoms of UI radically impair psychological, somatic, and social functioning. The aim of each disease stress coping process is to reduce the impact of harmful agents as well as the acquisition of necessary preventive measures in order to combat the disorder. Aim of the study was to assess the relationship between coping styles used when dealing with stress associated with disease and the quality of life.Material and methodsThe study was carried out at an outpatients’ clinic located in the Lublin Province (eastern Poland), covering 150 women with diagnosed stress urinary incontinence, aged between 32 and 79. The following methods were used: (a) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (Endler, Parker) to assess coping styles, (b) CASP-19 scale (Higgins, Hyde, Wiggins, Blade) to measure the overall quality of life, and (c) Urinary Incontinence Life Quality Scale (Szymona-Pałkowska, Kraczkowski).ResultsThe preferred style in the studied group of women was Task-Oriented Coping. This style is associated with a low score on the Independence from Symptoms scale and low Control, being simultaneously correlated with Autonomy and Self-Realisation. Emotion-Oriented Coping is associated with low psychological, physical and social well-being, as well as with little independence from the disease symptoms, little pleasure and self-realisation, but it gives a sense of internal control. Avoidance-Oriented Coping does not significantly correlate with any of the Overall Quality of Life dimensions.ConclusionsWomen suffering from UI tend to try to solve their problem by means of cognitive transformation. In their situation, clinging to the problem turns out to be a depressing factor and entails a lower quality of their life.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common diseases in women. It involves uncontrolled leaking of urine through the urethra. UI incidence depends on age and in certain age groups it can affect up to 60% of the female population. The symptoms can be persistent and due to their embarrassing nature they can lead to significant deterioration of quality of life and psychological functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of life and selected aspects of functioning. Seventy female outpatients of a public clinic in Nałęczów, Poland, were examined, and the following methods were used: the Urinary Incontinence Life Quality Scale (Szymona-Pałkowska, Kraczkowski), Disease-Related Appraisal Scale (Janowski, Steuden), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (Endler, Parker), Disease-Related Social Support Scale (Brachowicz, Janowski, Sadowska), and the Knowledge Appraisal Scale for Urinary Incontinence (Szymona-Pałkowska, Kraczkowski). The obtained results suggest that the strongest predictors for the quality of life with UI would be: perception of the disease as an injustice and a challenge (a reverse relationship) and an avoidance-oriented style of coping with stress through companionship seeking (a positive relationship). The duration of the disease and the level of related knowledge proved to be crucial in the analysis of one dimension, i.e. distance to the symptoms.

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