Occupational Therapy Interventions for Urinary Dysfunction in Primary Care: A Case Series.

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Primary care
• Urinary dysfunction

Background:

• Urinary dysfunction is a common issue in primary care, yet access to services is limited by provider shortages.
• Occupational therapy practitioners offer interventions for urinary dysfunction, but evidence in primary care settings is scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of occupational therapy interventions for urinary dysfunction within a primary care setting.
• To investigate the impact of individualized occupational therapy on urinary symptoms and functional performance.

Main Methods:

• A case-series design involving 3 women receiving 9-14 occupational therapy sessions in primary care.
• Individualized treatment plans addressing personal and environmental factors impacting urinary dysfunction.
• Utilized the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and SF-36 health survey for assessments.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) scores, indicating enhanced daily performance.
• SF-36 health-related quality-of-life scores showed mixed results across subscales.
• Urinary dysfunction-specific assessment scores decreased, signifying a reduction in symptom severity and functional impact.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy interventions are feasible and demonstrate positive preliminary outcomes for urinary dysfunction in primary care.
• Individualized occupational therapy shows potential for improving functional performance and reducing urinary symptoms in primary care patients.
• Further research is warranted to establish the efficacy of occupational therapy for urinary dysfunction in primary care settings.