Article

Using the World Health Organization International Classification of
Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the aim of this study was to identify
effective strategies for managing urinary and bowel complications resulting from spina bifida. METHOD: Charts of 210 children between 4- and 13-years-old with
spina bifida were reviewed to quantify medical interventions and continence
status. Standardized quality of life (QOL) questionnaires were administered to a
subset of participants ; child and parent interviews were carried out to examine
the experience of living with bowel and bladder incontinence. Practitioners were
also interviewed to understand their perspectives of intervention effectiveness.
RESULTS: Chart review indicated less than half of children were continent for
bowel and bladder. More variability existed in bowel continence programs, and
practitioners considered bowel continence more difficult to achieve than bladder
continence. No significant associations were found between continence status and
QOL measures. Interviews, however, reflected how managing continence at home and
school more broadly affects QOL. Among practitioners, some focused primarily on
optimizing physical health while others focused on activity and participation.
INTERPRETATION: While continence is a goal, programs used to achieve this are
individualized and outcomes may be affected by differential treatment effects,
environmental factors, and/or stigma experienced by children.
CI - (c) 2016 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS