Free pamphlets spotlight incontinence
Prevention is a key factor in maintaining lifelong bladder control for women. Help your patients understand the issues surrounding incontinence with a series of free educational pamphlets distributed through the Bethesda, MD-based National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
The pamphlets are part of a national awareness campaign, Let’s Talk About Bladder Control for Women, coordinated by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of Bethesda, MD, and a partnership of professional and patient advocacy groups.
About 11 million of the 13 million Americans affected by urinary incontinence are women, according to the Rockville, MD-based Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. The condition is not limited to the aging; the agency cites studies that indicate one in four women ages 30 to 59 has experienced urinary incontinence.
Both patients and providers may be hesitant to approach the subject, says Joseph Montella, MD, director of urogynecology in the department of OB/GYN at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Both need to understand that:
• Poor bladder control is not normal, so patients don’t need to "just live with it."
• Conservative treatments do work: Many patients can be helped by such simple measures as bladder retraining and pelvic floor exercises.
For free consumer and health care provider kits on bladder control, contact: National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, 3 Information Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3580. Telephone: (800) 891-5388 or (301) 654-4415. Fax: (301) 907-8906. E-mail: nkudic@ aerie.com. The information also may be downloaded from the agency’s Web site: http:// www.niddk.nih.gov.
For updated information on clinical practice guidelines on adult urinary incontinence, contact: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Publications Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 8547, Silver Spring, MD 20907. Telephone: (800) 358-9295 or (410) 381-3150. Instant-fax number: (301) 594-2800. World Wide Web: http://www.ahcpr.gov.
For more information on incontinence, contact: Deene Alongi, Executive Director, American Uro-Gynecologic Society, 401 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Telephone: (312) 644-6610. E-mail: [email protected].
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content