Targets, Messages, and Channels for Educational Interventions on Urinary Incontinence

Abstract

This article documents a collaborative health agency-university community demonstration project on urinary incontinence in older women. The basic program-research division of respon sibility was blurred substantially in this collaboration. The article focuses on a telephone survey of 321 elderly women conducted as part of a needs assessment, which also served as baseline data in the evaluation of a public education initiative. The survey provided information for defin ing target populations, shaping educational messages, and selecting communication channels. The prevalence of involuntary urine loss was 34%, with 20% of all women reporting weekly in continence. There were few differences by continence status in health, sociodemographic char acteristics, orbeliefs about incontinence. Women used many communication channels for health information and had a preference for information from health professionals. Factors that con tributed to the collaborative relationship included technical expertise, diversity of expertise and perspectives, and the enhancement of capacity in collaborators.

Outcomes of a Small Group Educational Intervention for Urinary Incontinence

“…In a general population survey of elderly women, we found that 34% reported some degree of incontinence, and 20% of older women had episodes at least weekly (McFall & Yerkes, 1998). In a general population survey of elderly women, we found that 34% reported some degree of incontinence, and 20% of older women had episodes at least weekly (McFall & Yerkes, 1998).…”

“…Several interesting features of this study stem from its public health perspective. In a general population survey of elderly women, we found that 34% reported some degree of incontinence, and 20% of older women had episodes at least weekly (McFall & Yerkes, 1998). Recruitment from nonclinical settings will therefore identify participants with less frequent episodes of incontinence (cf.…”

“…Prevalence rates for incontinence in older women (over age 65) have ranged from 12% to 34% (Fulton, Katz, & Hendershot, 1989;Herzog & Fultz, 1990;Lagace, Hansen, & Hickner, 1993;McFall & Yerkes, 1998). Studies of treatment seeking suggest that about half of individuals with urinary incontinence fail to seek help from their physicians or other health care provider (Burgio, Ives, Locher, Arena, & Kuller, 1994;National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference, 1990).…”

Experiencing and Managing Urinary Incontinence: A Qualitative Study

“…Only a few of those affected seek professional help. This can be for various reasons: fears of intrusive interference, shame, or the attitude that incontinence belongs to the natural aging process and is not treatable (Dugan et al, 2001;Fall & Yerkes, 1998;Hägglund & Wadensten, 2007;O'Donnell, Lose, Sykes, Voss, & Hunskaar, 2005). There are however a number of treatment options available for sufferers of incontinence.…”

Types and Factor Structure of Barriers to Utilization of Health Services among Aging South Asians in Calgary, Canada

“…For the remainder of the telephone numbers, the call team was unable to contact 2,316 individuals; 950 were not South Asian; and 1,124 were South Asians but did not have any persons in the household who met the age criterion. Among the eligible participants identifi ed, 220 completed the telephone survey, representing a response rate of 66.9 per cent, a higher than average response rate in many telephone surveys with older adults (Ford, Havstad, Hill, & Kart, 2000 ;McFall & Yerkes, 1998 ).…”