Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J A Criner.
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is prevalent in women of all ages. Due to the rigorous demands of military life, physical fitness requirements, and environmental barriers, female soldiers are at risk for SUI. Since it is estimated that 20% of the total U.S. military active-duty force in the future will be women, it is important to focus on this problem now.
Urinary incontinence creates a tremendous hardship on older women and results in social isolation, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and decreased life satisfaction. Stress, urge, overflow, and functional incontinence can be treated by behavioral methods, medications, or invasive techniques. The nurse should complete a health history before making an informed decision with the older women about the most appropriate treatment plan. There can be improved quality of life for women with incontinence if health care providers focus on this problem.
Abuse of elderly people came to public awareness in the 1970s. Since that time, programs have been initiated to help combat the problem. Each state has legislation for reporting abuse. However, abuse of the elderly often goes unreported due to ignorance, fear, or lack of concern. Public education and intervention strategies appear to be the answer to abuse of the elderly. Nurses, who spend more time with patients than do any other healthcare professionals, are in an ideal position to identify, intervene in, report, and generally lead the way in preventing abuse of the elderly.
Urinary incontinence affects people of all ages, but it is more prevalent in the elderly. Unrecognized, this problem can lead to infections, falls, and emotional distress. Health care professionals can play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of incontinence by simple techniques such as habit training and prompting. This article describes three case studies of elderly male clients with incontinence and discusses the implementation and outcome of a nursing management protocol with the clients.
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