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COPYRIGHT 2004 Jannetti Publications, Inc.
Change related to increased public awareness and health-seeking behavior for continence care is fueling the demand for innovation in technology and products. The National Association for Continence (NAFC) has been working to demystify the subject of continence by supporting credible consumer research, networking with other organizations to construct and broadcast its goals for change, and enlisting the help of the media in giving women and men back their lives.
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Change related to increased public awareness and health-seeking behavior for continence care is fueling the demand for innovation in technology and products. The National Association for Continence (NAFC) has been working to demystify the subject of continence by supporting credible consumer research, networking with other organizations to construct and broadcast its goals for change, and enlisting the help of the media in giving women and men back their lives.
NAFC-Sponsored Research Projects
Toilet mapping. In late 2000, NAFC initiated quantitative, epidemiologic research on overactive bladder with a nationwide telephone survey, conducted among men and women over the age of 30 years and living independently in the community. With a research grant from Pharmacia (now owned by Pfizer), the Yankelovich research firm conducted mall intercept interviews with over 1,000 individuals across the United States in 20 metropolitan areas (NAFC, 2001). The major findings were:
* Over 60% of survey respondents reported they are "toilet mapping" to scout out public restrooms when they are visiting an amusement park or going to the movies. In media releases, the term "toilet mapping" became a zinger for journalists, and NAFC received a flurry of print and radio interviews spanning weeks.
* For some Americans, the bathroom is a haven. NAFC published statistics on how many people sing in the bath room, how many of people spend time contemplating serious subjects, and how many people make love in the bathroom. NAFC also documented how many people find the toilet to be a symbol of their incarceration because of bladder control problems. This juxtaposition of symbols--a haven for privacy for some but a prison of shame for others--was served up to the media to expose just how deeply people are affected by incontinence (NAFC, 2001).
With these statistics, the media became a partner with NAFC like never before. For example, major radio stations in Chicago, New York City, and Baltimore, along with major newspapers such as USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, gave the topic of incontinence meaningful exposure for the first time. Interviews occurred on morning radio talk shows as thousands of listeners drove to work.
Stress urinary incontinence. Twelve months later, NAFC initiated another study on stress urinary incontinence (SUI) (NAFC, 2002). The Harris research firm developed the survey design, collected responses, and helped with analysis and interpretation. Eli Lilly and Company provided the grant monies for research expenses. For the first time in history, women as young as 18 years of age were included in this landmark U.S. study of SUI. The study results indicated that one in four, or 26%, of women age 18 and older reported symptoms of SUI (NAFC, 2002).
Additional findings pointed out disparities among and between the races in the United States. From the SUI survey, data suggest:
* While African-American women are less likely to experience symptoms of SUI (17% vs. 25% for white and 22% for Latino women), they are less knowledgeable than others about treatment options and therefore less likely to speak to their doctor about their problems.
* African-American women are less likely (26%) to speak to a friend or a relative about their symptoms than others (40% for white and 29% for Latinos) and more likely to be isolated than whites (21%) ("I spend more time alone than in social situations because of leakage" vs. 10% for whites).
* African-American women are more likely (56% under age 40) to begin experiencing SUI at an earlier age than whites (37% under age 40) (NAFC. 2002).
Clearly, public outreach to African-American women needs its own set of carefully crafted messages. No longer can it be acceptable to leave out an entire ethnic segment of our country, as we have with the African-American and Latino communities. This...
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