Mind over bladder: Women, aging, and bladder health

The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and acceptability of an innovative, electronically delivered self-management intervention for urinary incontinence (UI) that included daily mindfulness practice, completion of sequential bladder diaries, and bladder health education to improve UI in older women living independently in a retirement community. A mixed methods pilot study was conducted over ten weeks using a custom website or CD. Ten women were recruited and 8 completed the study; 5 of those (71%) experienced fewer daily UI episodes post intervention (p = 0.055). The women also reported a statistically significant decrease in the impact UI had on their everyday life (p = 0.04). Seventy-one percent (N = 5) reported subjective improvement in UI, and high acceptability scores also were achieved. The intervention was both effective in helping older women self-manage UI and acceptable to the population group. Further research is needed with a larger and diverse population of older women.

Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.). 2017 Oct 14 [Epub ahead of print]

Joanna E Long, Saif Khairat, Elizabeth Chmelo, Mary H Palmer

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Nursing, Carrington Hall, S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. Electronic address: ., Salemtowne Retirement Community, 1000 Salemtowne Drive, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA. Electronic address: ., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Nursing, Carrington Hall, S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. Electronic address: ., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Nursing, Carrington Hall, S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. Electronic address: .