Promoting urinary continence in people suffering a stroke: Effectiveness of a complex intervention-An intervention...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Nursing Science

Background:

• Urinary incontinence is a common complication following stroke, impacting patient rehabilitation and quality of life.
• Effective continence management strategies are crucial for optimizing recovery and well-being in stroke survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a systematic continence management intervention for stroke patients during rehabilitation.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on incontinence, quality of life, and social embarrassment.

Main Methods:

• An intervention study design was employed, initially with a control group followed by an intervention group after staff training.
• The intervention encompassed comprehensive continence care: screening, assessment, treatment, communication, and evaluation.
• Forty-six patients participated; 35 in the control group and 11 in the intervention group.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in outcomes were observed across both groups during the study.
• The intervention group demonstrated a significantly greater improvement on the Incontinence Quality of Life Social Embarrassment scale.
• The intervention group experienced notably larger improvements in incontinence and quality of life from admission to discharge.

Conclusions:

• A systematic continence management intervention is effective in improving outcomes for stroke survivors in rehabilitation.
• The intervention positively impacts incontinence, quality of life, and social embarrassment, highlighting its clinical utility.
• Further research with larger sample sizes could strengthen these findings and inform broader implementation.