title: Psychosocial factors in teenagers and young adults with myelomeningocele and clean intermittent catheterization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to analyse the psychosocial factors of teenagers and young adults with myelomeningocele with at least 5 years' experience of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative interview technique with semi-structured questions was used in 22 participants aged 13-26 years (median 17) and issues addressed were information given to others, integrity, attitudes to other disabilities, friendship, partnership and sexuality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants wanted to inform their peers about the disability but often did not have the courage. Ignorance of the principle of self-CIC among medical staff was confusing. Urinary incontinence after the introduction of the self-CIC regimen was not seen as a problem in comparison with other major disabilities. Half of the participants had peers that they could call a best friend. The subjects wanted more specific information regarding their own sexual function. Finding a partner and becoming a parent were strongly desired but considered problematic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The participants wished to acquire more knowledge about CIC as a bladder-emptying method from the medical staff and also to have the respect to perform self-CIC at examinations. This study did not find any negative psychosocial factors associated with CIC.
authors.affiliation: Regional Rehabilitation Centre for Children and Adolescents, Göteborg, Sweden. Birgitta.Lindehall@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindehall
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Kelm
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hjälmås
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jodal
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abrahamsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult