Biomedical subjects

Kassandra L Messer

Publications and source records attributed to Kassandra L Messer.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Adherence to a behavioral program to prevent incontinence.

This exploratory study assesses factors predicting adherence to a behavioral intervention to prevent urinary incontinence. Community-dwelling, post-menopausal women (N = 164) were taught pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and bladder training (BT) and followed with surveys for 1 year. Content analysis of open-ended responses coded descriptions of approaches participants used to incorporate PFMT into daily life. Exploratory bivariate and logistic regression analyses determined predictors of approach used and adherence. Results indicate women incorporated PFMT into their lives using either a routine or ad hoc approach. Those using a routine approach at 3 months were 12 times more likely to adhere (odds ratio [OR] = 12.4, confidence interval [CI] = 4.0-38.8, p < .001) at a high level at 3 months and significantly more likely to maintain that level 12 months post-intervention (OR = 2.7, CI = 1.2-6.0, p < .014). Practicing BT was related to high adherence.

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PubMed2006

Evaluation of a mass mailing recruitment strategy to obtain a community sample of women for a clinical trial of an incontinence prevention intervention.

OBJECTIVES: Questions exist about using mass mailings to recruit representative samples to participate in clinical trials. The MESA Prevention Study (Medical, Epidemiologic and Social Aspects of Aging), a randomized controlled clinical trial to prevent urinary incontinence (UI), utilized a mass mailing recruitment procedure to recruit a representative sample of women to participate in a behavioral modification program. This paper seeks to expand the literature of mass mailing recruitment strategies for prevention studies by describing the procedures used to recruit healthy, continent, post-menopausal women aged 55-80 years. METHODS: Sociodemographic data collected from recruited subjects is compared with on-line national census data to evaluate the representativeness of the sample recruited from a purchased mailing list. RESULTS: The mass mailing procedure resulted in 3.3% positive response. Of those that returned a positive response, 37.6% were deemed eligible at first screening. Comparisons of study demographic data with state and county census data indicate that the sample obtained was representative of the communities. CONCLUSIONS: The mass mailing strategy was an effective means of recruiting a representative sample of women, aged 55-80. Short falls and recommendations for successful community sample recruitment strategies for clinical trials in older adult women are elaborated upon.

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PubMed2005

Learning outcomes of a group behavioral modification program to prevent urinary incontinence.

This study describes acquisition of knowledge and motor skill in bladder training (BT) and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and adherence following a behavioral modification program (BMP). Essentially continent (0-5 episodes in past year) community-dwelling older women (n = 359) were randomized to treatment (n = 164), a 2-h group education session supplemented by one brief individualized session of approximately 10 min, or control (n = 195), no instruction, and followed for 12 months. Knowledge, motor skill, and adherence to the BMP were documented. Changes in pelvic muscle function and voiding interval were used to validate self-reported adherence. Following group instruction, mean BT and PFMT knowledge was 90 and 86%, respectively; 68% demonstrated correct PFMT technique without additional instruction, 29% required brief instruction, and 3% were unable to learn PFMT technique. Adherence ranged from 63 to 82% for PFMT and 58 to 67% for BT. Group instruction supplemented with brief individual instruction as needed is an effective teaching method for BT and PFMT.

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PubMed2004

Prevention of urinary incontinence by behavioral modification program: a randomized, controlled trial among older women in the community.

PURPOSE: We determined whether a behavioral modification program (BMP) taught to groups of continent older women would decrease the incidence of urinary incontinence, increase pelvic muscle strength and improve voiding control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a randomized, controlled trial comparing a BMP treatment group to a control, no treatment group in ambulatory, postmenopausal, continent women (0 to 5 days of incontinent episodes in the previous year) 55 years and older who were followed for 12 months. Qualified volunteers from 4 Michigan counties were randomly assigned to a control or a treatment group, consisting of a 2-hour classroom presentation on BMP followed 2 to 4 weeks later with individualized evaluation to test knowledge, adherence and skills in behavioral techniques, and brief reinforcement of the technique as needed. Followup was done by telephone and mail every 3 months except month 12, when all participants underwent final clinical evaluation. Outcome measures were continence status, pelvic floor muscle strength and voiding frequency/intervoid interval. RESULTS: A total of 195 control and 164 treated participants completed the study. Baseline data on the 2 groups were not statistically different. At 12 months the treatment group was statistically significantly better than the control group in continence status (p = 0.01), pelvic muscle strength (pressure score p = 0.0003 and displacement score p <0.0001), improved voiding frequency (p <0.0001) and intervoid interval (p <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge we report the first randomized, controlled trial of BMP for preventing urinary incontinence in older women. It demonstrated feasibility and efficacy in improving continence status, pelvic muscle strength and voiding control as long as a year after treatment.

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