Impact of primary nocturnal enuresis on the quality of life in Egyptian mothers: A case-control study

Background: Only a few studies have reported the psychological state and the quality of life of mothers of children with nocturnal enuresis (NE) and, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have been carried out in Egypt despite the high prevalence of the disorder. Participants and methods: We conducted a case-control study comparing a group of 50 mothers of children with primary NE compared with 50 mothers of children without NE using Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the PCASEE Questionnaire for quality of life. For mothers of children with NE, we also used the Pediatric Enuresis Model on Quality of Life - Short Form Questionnaire (PEMQOL Short Form). Results: Our study found that the severity of depression and anxiety was higher in mothers of children with NE. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.04) between the two groups as regards the affective domain of the PCASEE Questionnaire, which was higher in the mothers of children with NE. Our study found that the quality of life of mothers of children with NE (using the PEMQOL Questionnaire) was affected. There was a significant negative correlation between anxiety and the cognitive and social domains of the PCASEE and a significant positive correlation between anxiety and PEMQOL scores. Conclusion: Mothers of children with NE experience more severe depression and anxiety compared with mothers of children without NE. The severity of anxiety correlates significantly with quality-of-life measures.