[1.5 Years of Bladder Blog: Questions on Incontinence Outside of the Doctor's Office]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Digital Health
• Patient Communication

Background:

• Medical history taking traditionally relies on direct physician-patient communication.
• The internet has become a significant source for health information and patient queries.
• Online platforms provide anonymous avenues for individuals to discuss health concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze user inquiries on an anonymous online health blog.
• To identify common themes and user demographics related to urinary incontinence.
• To assess the need for internet-based medical consultations for taboo health topics.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of user requests from the "die Blase.de" blog over 20 months.
• Thematic analysis of anonymized user questions and identified user demographics.
• Data collected from Dr. R. Pfleger Arzneimittel's website.

Main Results:

• The typical user seeking information was female.
• Frequent topics included therapy side effects, complex continence issues, refractory therapy, and capacity building.
• Users often searched for qualified physicians, indicating a need for accessible expertise.

Conclusions:

• The complexity of continence problems highlights the demand for specialized medical advice.
• The anonymity of online platforms facilitates discussion of sensitive topics like urinary incontinence.
• Internet-based consultations are a valuable supplement to traditional healthcare for managing taboo health issues.