BERKELEY, CA (UroToday.com) - Shaw and Logan have researched quality of life in men and women performing intermittent self-catheterization (ISC), and this article adds to their body of published research.
This is a qualitative study involving interviews of men (N=11) and women (N=4) with spinal cord injury and who were performing ISC. The objective of the study was to describe the experiences of patients and to identify psychological coping factors that might affect therapy adherence. The authors recorded all interviews and found that positive coping strategies of acceptance led to higher levels of perceived independence.
Three themes emerged from the interviews: normalization, control, and independence. It was important for these patients to “normalize” their condition in order for them to go on with their daily lives. Those patients in denial avoided performing ISC and did not adhere to the prescribed catheterization schedule.
The authors emphasize the need for clinicians to be supportive and to provide encouragement, especially in the initial period when the patient is learning to perform ISC.
Shaw C, Logan K
Related resources:
Logan, K., Shaw, C., 2011. Intermittent self-catheterization service provision: perspectives of people with spinal cord injury. International Journal of Urological Nursing 5 (2), 73–82.
Logan, K., Shaw, C., Webber, I., Samuel, S., Broome, L., 2008. The patient experience of learning intermittent self-catheterisation. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62 (1), 32–40.
Shaw, C., Logan, K., Webber, I., Broome, L., Samuel, S., 2008. Effect of clean intermittent self-catheterization on quality of life: a qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing 61 (6), 641–650.
Reference: Int J Nurs Stud. 2013 Mar 6 (Epub ahead of print)
doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.01.009
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23473391
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, FAAN, BCB-PMD
