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. 2013 Apr 5;28(2):97–104. [Article in Spanish] doi: 10.1016/S0212-6567(01)78908-1

Comunicación, diagnóstico y tratamiento de la incontinencia urinaria en los ancianos de una zona básica de salud☆

Communication, diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence in the elderly in a health district

FJ Gavira Iglesias a,*, J Pérez del Molino Martín b, E Valderrama Gama c, JM Caridad y Ocerín d, M López Pérez e, M Romero López e, MV Pavón Aranguren e, JB Guerrero Muñoz e
PMCID: PMC7677969  PMID: 11440646

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the frequency in which aged people who suffers on urinary incontinence (UI) talk about this problem with primary care professionals, variables related to no healthcare-seeking as well as diagnostic and therapeutic habits of these professionals.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Location

Basic Health Zone of Cabra (Córdoba, Spain).

Patients

A random age-stratified sample of 869 patients selected from a total of 5139 persons ≥ 65 years of age.

Interventions

Home interview.

Measurements

Proper questionnaire with questions about reporting of incontinence to health professionals and the procedures used for routine screening as well as diagnostic and therapeutic assessment of incontinence. A logistic regression model was elaborated to identify explanatory factors for reporting incontinence to healthcare professionals.

Results

Of 330 incontinents, only 32% reported their problem to healthcare professionals. The remaining 68% did not report their incontinence because most thought it was a minor problem and/or part of the ageing process. The explanatory factors for seeking medical help were the frequency, duration and impact of incontinence, and dependence in self-care. Physicians performed routine screening for incontinence in 10% of 827 inquired aged. In 1 out of 5 incontinents, the physician did not take any diagnostic or therapeutic measures.

Conclusions

Seeking of UI medical help was very limited and depends on variables related to perception in symptom’s changes. Diagnosis and treatment done by professionals was suboptimal. Severity of UI conditions diagnosis and treatment.

Key words: Urinary incontinence, Old aged, Healthcare-seeking behaviour, Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment

Footnotes

☆

Este trabajo ha sido financiado con fondos del FIS (Proyecto N.° 97/0160), de la entidad financiera CajaSur y de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología.

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