Abstract
Urinary incontinence (UI) is currently a major, under-reported and costly health issue that is becoming more prevalent as the United States population continues to age. Studies have shown that physical therapists have a role in treating UI. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the amount and type of UI curricula content instruction in entry-level physical therapy programs and (2) investigate some of the underlying factors that may relate to the UI curricula. Participants were the primary faculty member teaching UI curricular content at the 201 physical therapist professional degree programs in the United States recognized by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy (CAPTE). The web-based survey documented institutional demographics, faculty education and attitudes, UI curricular content and instruction methods, and faculty assessment of the UI curricula. Of the programs surveyed for this descriptive study (n = 201), 54 programs (27%) completed the questionnaire. The study found a moderate relationship (r = .451) between the amount of faculty specialized training in UI and the amount of UI curricular content. A similar correlation (r = .433) occurred between the subjects view of the role of the PT in evaluation and intervention in the area of UI and the actual time spent in UI instruction. A strong relationship (r = .825) was found between the amount of UI specialized training and the confidence to teach the subject. The study's results provide an avenue for the assessment of current PT progran1s' UI curricula in relation to the reported aggregate. Results may encourage research that would compare how recent graduates of these programs evaluate the UI instruction they received with the responses in this research study.