Effects of introducing a specialized nurse in the care of community-dwelling women suffering from urinary incontinence: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
Urinary incontinence (UI) often remains inadequately treated. In the literature, there are indications that continence nurses' diagnoses and treatment advices are beneficial in terms of clinical outcomes. However, the precise short-term and long-term effects are unclear. This study investigates the short-term and long-term effects of the introduction of a continence nurse in the care of community-dwelling women suffering from UI.


METHODS
In a cluster randomized study, 38 women were referred to the continence nurse who, guided by a protocol, assessed and advised the patients about therapy, lifestyle, or medication. If progress was disappointing, therapy was revised. Results were compared to a group of 13 women who received "usual care" by the general practitioner. Data on frequency and volume of incontinence, quality of life, and patient satisfaction were collected at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.


RESULTS
After 6 months, women in the intervention group reported a greater reduction in "moderate" incontinent episodes when compared to women in the control group. No treatment effect was found after 12 months. Although there was a stronger improvement in scores as regards to quality of life in the intervention group, with the exception of the dimension "physical," no treatment effect was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The introduction of a continence nurse demonstrates short-term benefit to community-dwelling women suffering from UI. However, the long-term effects should be further explored with larger study populations.


BACKGROUND
ISRCTN15553880.
Du Moulin
M F M T
MF
Department of Health Care and Nursing Science, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. m.dumoulin@zw.unimaas.nl
Hamers
J P H
JP
Paulus
A
A
Berendsen
C L
CL
Halfens
R
R
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012107:Research Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000451:nursing*; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D016387:Women's Health