1,721,023 research outputs found
The CPE Network: Creating an evidence base for continence product selection
No full textSelecting continence products for an individual patient or hospital contract is often a daunting task. This article describes the evaluation process developed for a program of government-funded multicenter evaluations of continence products established in the United Kingdom to provide an evidence base for product selection. The essential requirements of an evaluation are discussed, together with the methodological and statistical issues that such evaluations present. The strengths and limitations of multicenter trials are examined and suggestions are made regarding other areas of nursing in which this approach could be usefully adopted
A multi-centre evaluation of absorbent products for men with light urinary incontinence
No full textAims This study compared the performance of the four main designs of absorbents for men with light incontinence: pouches (shields), leafs (guards), washable pant with integral pad (pantegral), and small disposable pad. Materials and Methods We did a multiple crossover trial. Men with light urinary incontinence were recruited. All pouches and leafs available in the UK were identified for inclusion. A single pantegral and small pad were selected based on previous evaluations for design comparison. Products were tested in random order for up to 1 week. Performance criteria (e.g., leakage and comfort) were rated using a validated product performance questionnaire. Wet product weights and amount of leakage were recorded in pad leakage diaries. Overall opinion for design performance was used as the primary outcome indicator. Results Seventy-four men tested six leafs, six pouches, one pantegral, and one small pad. Leakage data was taken from 3,386 wet pads. The pouches generally performed poorly with few significant differences between products. The leafs were more variable with large and significant differences in ratings. Overall the leaf, pantegral, and small pad designs performed significantly better than the pouch (P ≤ 0.01) and the pantegral design performed significantly worse than the leaf (P = 0.01). One leaf product was outstanding and performed significantly better than all other designs (P ≤ 0.001). Neurourol. Urodynam. 25:689-695, 2006. Conclusion This is the first published trial of absorbent products specifically designed for men. Results show that one particular leaf product works best, the pantegral is most suitable only for very light incontinence and the pouches are least successful
Disposable pull-ups versus disposable nappies for children with a disability
No full textMost children are expected to be dry by the age of three years (Lukeman, 1997). However, children with physical and/or learning disabilities may have difficulty achieving continence and will have an ongoing need for absorbent products. Historically these were disposable nappies. In recent years, the disposable pull-up style pad (Fig 1) has proved popular as an alternative design
Absorbent products for incontinence: 'treatment effects' and impact on quality of life
No full textAim: This study aimed to determine how the use and characteristics of absorbent products for incontinence impact on women's quality of life, and to examine the concept of ‘treatment effects’ in the context of pad use.Method: Key pad performance characteristics were identified from the literature and focus group work. Semi-structured interviews with 99 women with light incontinence were used to investigate the impact of pad use on women's quality of life, including both positive and negative ‘treatment effects’, and to rank pad characteristics by their importance.Results: Achieving effective and discrete containment of urine was the dominant factor impacting on women's lives. Sub-themes embraced physical effects, psychological impact and social functioning. The five pad characteristics ranked most important for day time use were: ‘to hold urine, to contain smell, to stay in place, discreteness, and comfort when wet. For night use discreteness was replaced by to keep skin dry’. High levels of reported anxiety were associated with perceived risk of poor pad performance, lack of discreteness and need for complex regimes for pad management.Conclusion: Insufficient attention has been paid to the balance between the beneficial and negative treatment effects of absorbent pads to date. Existing continence-related quality of life measures are not designed for conditions where change in symptoms is not an outcome measure. The study findings provide the basis for developing a more sensitive, patient-oriented, quality of life measure for pad-users which can aid product selection, new product development and inform future evaluative comparisons between products/products and treatments.Relevance to clinical practice. This paper illustrates the complex influence on quality of life caused by using absorbent pads to contain incontinence. It raises awareness of the importance of careful selection of the most appropriate pad for each individual to minimize unfavourable side effects, and the need for a new quality of life measure designed for pad-users.<br/
Technology for managing incontinence: what are the research priorities?
No full textIncontinence and toileting difficulties can often be successfully addressed by treating their underlying causes. However, (complete) cure is not always possible and continence products to prevent or contain unresolved leakage or to facilitate toileting are in widespread use. Many people use them successfully but identifying the product(s) most likely to meet individual needs can be challenging and the recently published Seventh International Consultation on Incontinence includes a chapter which draws on the literature to provide evidence-based recommendations to help clinicians and product users to select appropriate products. This paper is based on the same evidence, but reviewed from the different perspective of those keen to identify unmet needs and develop improved products. For each of the main continence product categories it (i) outlines the design approach and key features of what is currently available; (ii) provides a generic functional design specification; (iii) reviews how well existing products meet the requirements of their main user groups; and (iv) suggests priorities for the attention of product designers. It also flags some core scientific problems which – if successfully addressed – would likely yield benefits in multiple incontinence product contexts
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Are washable absorbents effective at containing urinary incontinence?
No full textThis article describes a pilot study to evaluate washable (or reusable) absorbent garments for adults with moderate to heavy urinary incontinence. The article will describe: The study process; How the individual products performed and how the washable and disposable products compared; How nurses can enable their patients to use washable products appropriately.<br/
A multicenter evaluation of absorbent products for children with incontinence and disabilities
No full textOBJECTIVE: To evaluate all disposable pull-up-style pads (pull-ups) designed for children with learning and or physical disabilities and compare these with a representative sample of disposable diapers (diapers).DESIGN: A multicenter randomized crossover trial where all children evaluated each product.SETTING AND CHILDREN: A total of 61 community dwelling children with disabilities were recruited from 5 areas throughout the United Kingdom. Families were invited by letter to participate through their local clinical nurse specialist for continence care.INSTRUMENTS: Instruments used included a range of questionnaires (product performance, design performance, and design preference questionnaires) and pad weight and leakage diaries.METHODS: The children tested 10 products (5 pull-ups and 5 diapers) for up to 1 week per product both at home and at school. Caregivers (parents and guardians) completed the questionnaires after evaluation of individual products and design groups had been completed. They recorded wet product weights and scored pad leakage at each pad change. School staff completed an abbreviated product performance questionnaire for each product.RESULTS: There was little difference in the overall performance of the pull-ups compared with the diapers. In the pull-up group, one product performed significantly worse than the others for some performance aspects.Pull-ups worked particularly well for children able to assist with toileting and pad changes. Diapers were liked for ease of changing if the child used calipers, adapted footwear, or trousers. Diapers were more popular than pull-ups for night use, when greater absorbency was required. Neither design performed differently for school or home use.Most caregivers expressed a preference for diapers or pull-ups based on a range of individual needs, for example, level of independence in toileting, discreetness in pad change, fit, and product appearance.CONCLUSIONS: Diapers and pull-ups have different strengths and limitations, and both meet the specific needs of individual children. Although pull-ups are more expensive than diapers, their use is justified if based on a thorough assessment of individual need
A multicenter comparative evaluation: disposable pads for women with light incontinence
No full textThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the current range of disposable pads for women with light incontinence available in the United Kingdom
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