Living with a long-term, indwelling urinary catheter: catheter users' experience

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of long-term catheter users within a heterogeneous population.

The sample comprised 27 community-dwelling long-term catheter users. Participants included 14 female users (4 urethral, 10 suprapubic catheter) and 13 male users (6 urethral, 7 suprapubic) between 22 and 96 years of age. Interviews were conducted in participants' homes except 1, which took place in a urology outpatient department based on the participant's preference.

A qualitative research design using an interpretive description approach was used for data collection and analysis. All interviews were electronically recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interpretive description involved familiarization with the data, thematic analysis, and the development of an interpretive account.

The impact of the catheter and daily living adjustments that catheter users made are captured within 8 themes: (1) making adjustments; (2) managing away from home; (3) nighttime adjustment; (4) catheter problems; (5) social interaction; (6) support from others; (7) unpredictability; and (8) intimacy and body image.

Catheter users' experiences of living with a catheter are shaped by a variety of interrelated factors. Some participants were determined to overcome catheter-related problems and develop self-reliance while others adopted a more resigned approach to living with a catheter. Having a catheter enabled some participants to experience greater freedom while others led more restricted lives as a consequence of catheterization.