Quality of life of patients using intermittent urinary catheterization.
Laís Fumincelli, Alessandra Mazzo, José Carlos Amado Martins and 2 others
PMID 28699993WHAT IT FOUND
Quality of life scores were similar in Brazil and Portugal, but Brazilian patients rated their general health higher.
Patients who self-catheterized reported better physical and psychological well-being than those needing caregiver help.
Key findings
01Brazilian patients had significantly higher scores on general quality of life and health questions compared to Portuguese patients, despite similar scores in physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains.
02Patients who performed self-catheterization had higher quality of life scores in the physical and psychological domains compared to those whose procedure was performed by a caregiver.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a convenience sample, so the participants may not represent all patients with neurogenic bladder. It was cross-sectional, meaning it captured a single moment in time and cannot prove that self-catheterization causes better quality of life. The WHOQOL-bref is a general tool and may not capture specific issues related to catheterization, such as device-related discomfort or supply access problems.
Declared interests
Supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that self-catheterization directly causes better quality of life. The study is cross-sectional, so it is also possible that patients with better baseline physical and psychological health were more likely to be able to self-catheterize.