Men's management of urinary incontinence in daily living: implications for practice

Many men develop urinary incontinence following prostate disease or surgery. Men with urinary incontinence use strategies to manage urinary incontinence in their daily lives, often with minimal assistance from health professionals. Much of the available information and advice offered to men about daily-living management of urinary incontinence have been adapted from information relating to management difficulties experienced by women. This study explored strategies used by community-dwelling men to manage urinary incontinence in their daily lives. Men with self-reported urinary incontinence were recruited from clinical and non-clinical settings. A researcher-developed survey was used to identify type, severity and duration of urinary incontinence, and the strategies men used to manage urinary incontinence in daily living. Sixty-one items, grouped according to functional strategies, asked how often each strategy was used to manage urinary incontinence. A response rate of 66% was achieved with 103 men completing a survey. The findings of this study can be used by urology nurses to ensure continence education for men with urinary incontinence addresses areas that are of most importance, as well addressing their specific needs.