Needs assessment of women with urinary incontinence in a district health authority.

Abstract

Despite the existence of effective interventions for urinary incontinence, many women who are incontinent do not seek help even when they perceive their incontinence to be a problem. Half of the women who did consult their GP did not find the treatment offered helpful. Achieving health gain for women with urinary incontinence will require a more active approach than currently exists to inform people that better care is available, to help counteract the stigma attached to the problem, and to ensure that primary care professionals are able to provide effective services.