BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT OF FEMALE URINARY INCONTINENCE

URINARY INCONTINENCE AFFECTS AT LEAST 10 MILLION ADULT AMERICANS AND IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF NURSING HOME ADMISSION IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REFINE AND USE TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES DEVELOPED IN THE RESEARCH SETTING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF FEMALE URINARY INCONTINENCE. THE SPECIFIC AIM OF PHASE I IS TO DEVELOP A HEALTH CARE DELIVERY MODEL FOR ASSISTING CLIENTS TO CONTROL INCONTINENCE. THIS MODEL WILL INCLUDE ASSESSMENT METHODS AND MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS. THE AIM OF PHASE II IS TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL NETWORK OF CONTINENCE CLINICS. IN PHASE II, ASSESSMENT METHODS AND MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS DEVELOPED IN PHASE I WILL BE TESTED. INTRAVAGINAL BALLOON DEVICES WILL BE PRODUCED, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR PROFESSIONALS AND CLIENTS WILL BE DEVELOPED. NURSES WILL BE EDUCATED TO IMPLEMENT THE MODEL DEVELOPED IN PHASE I. EDUCATION WILL COVER ASPECTS OF INCONTINENCE, INCLUDING PREVALENCE IN THE POPULATION, TYPES OF INCONTINENCE, ASSESSMENT METHODS, ALTERNATIVES FOR MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNICAL SKILLS NEEDED TO PERFORM PELVIC MUSCLE ASSESSMENTS.