Managing Urinary Incontinence for Women in Primary Care: Environmental Scan (Base Year).

Area of Science:

• Women's Health
• Primary Care Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) significantly impacts women globally, yet diagnosis and treatment access remain suboptimal.
• Barriers such as lack of information, stigma, and insufficient primary care screening prevent many women from receiving timely care for UI.
• Existing nonsurgical treatments for UI are effective but underutilized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an environmental scan of studies (2012-2022) on the dissemination and implementation of nonsurgical UI treatments for women in primary care.
• To assess strategies for screening, management, and referral within primary care settings.
• To inform the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) initiative to improve UI treatment for women.

Main Methods:

• Systematic environmental scan of published literature from 2012 to 2022.
• Focus on studies evaluating dissemination and implementation of nonsurgical UI interventions.
• Analysis of screening, management, and referral strategies in primary care.

Main Results:

• Identified key strategies and challenges in disseminating and implementing nonsurgical UI treatments for women in primary care.
• Highlighted the need for improved screening protocols and patient adherence.
• The scan provides insights into current practices and areas for enhancement.

Conclusions:

• Effective dissemination and implementation of nonsurgical UI treatments in primary care are crucial for improving women's health outcomes.
• Addressing barriers like stigma and enhancing screening are essential for better UI management.
• Further research and targeted initiatives are needed to optimize UI care delivery in primary care settings.