ENURESIS IN THE CONTEXT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: A LITERATURE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47458/VS.2026.3(114)-5Keywords:
enuresis, health related quality of life, psychological adaptation, parental attitude, learning disabilities, sleepAbstract
Objective. Enuresis is urinary incontinence manifested by involuntary urination during sleep. It is a common problem in childhood, with consequences encompassing various social and psychological aspects. One of the main pathophysiological mechanisms of enuresis is impaired arousal from sleep.
The aim of this article is to review the significance of enuresis in the context of public health, assessing its impact on the quality of life of the child and their parents, psychological well-being, and sleep.
Materials and methods. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database. Publications published between 2000 and 2026 were analyzed. The following keywords and their combinations were used: nocturnal enuresis, children, quality of life, psychological impact, sleep, public health. Articles examining the impact of nocturnal enuresis on the quality of life, psychological well-being, and sleep of children and their parents were selected.
Results. Enuresis has a negative impact on the child’s emotions and behavior, self-image, and quality of life. It is also associated with poorer academic performance, more frequent attention disorders, more aggressive behavior, and lower social competence.
Enuresis is associated not only with the child’s well-being but also with parenting-related stress experienced by parents (especially mothers), poorer quality of life, and more pronounced symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In addition, enuresis is linked to an increased risk of sleep disorders, particularly obstructive sleep apnea, periodic limb movements during sleep, and increased daytime sleepiness. Although there is a lack of research on the impact of enuresis on parents’ sleep, it can be assumed that this impact is negative.
Conclusion. Enuresis is often associated with poorer quality of life in both the child and their parents, increased levels of parental stress, as well as psychological difficulties experienced by both the child and parents, and sleep disturbances in the child. Furthermore, it may also negatively affect parents’ sleep.
It is important to increase awareness among target groups - education system staff, parents of school-aged children, and healthcare professionals - of enuresis as a potential indicator of an increased risk of complex difficulties in a child, to ensure timely recognition of the problem and provision of appropriate support.
