Abstract
Introduction: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is involuntary loss of urine during exertion, and is the most common form of incontinence in women between 25 to 66 years of age. It affects between 24% to 64% of women, and results in decreased quality of life, financial burden, and has been linked with low back pain and hip dysfunction. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of SUI screening practices among Florida physical therapists providing direct patient care to adult females aged 18 and older. Additional survey questions were used to identify screening methods, likelihood of screening based on practitioner characteristics, confidence in treating individuals with SUI, and perceived barriers to SUI screening within the clinical environment. Methods: Data were collected using an anonymous online survey created to examine screening patterns and perceptions of physical therapists regarding their role in identification and treatment of SUI. Participants were recruited through electronic mail, flyers, and web announcements using professional channels. Responses were analyzed using Checkbox analysis tool and SPSS Predictive Analytics Software, version 23, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. Results: Sixty-four physical therapists who met the inclusion criteria responded to the survey.; 34.4% (n=22) said they screen for SUI. Among those who reported screening for SUI, 21.9% (n=14) said they provide treatment for patients with SUI, while 9.4% (n=6) refer these patients to other clinicians. Conclusions: Our study showed that more than 60% of physical therapists who responded to this survey do not screen for SUI when working with adult females. A majority of survey respondents reported lack of knowledge and experience as the primary reason for not treating patients with SUI. Treatment of SUI is within PT’s scope of practice; therefore, PTs should promote better recognition and access to care for women with SUI based on its known prevalence, availability of effective treatment outcomes, impact on health care and personal costs to the patient, and potential for improved quality of life by reducing activity-limiting symptoms.