Solfrid Indrekvam1, Steinar Hunskaar. 1. Section for General Practice, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Solfrid.Indrekvam@isf.uib.no
Abstract
AIM: To analyze side effects, feasibility, and adherence to treatment during home-managed electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence in women. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 3,198 Norwegian women treated with home-managed electrical stimulation from 1992 to 1994. Data were collected from both patients and physicians by questionnaires before and after treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of the patients found the stimulator easy or acceptable to use. Fifty percent had no or little discomfort from stimulator use. Nine percent found the stimulator very unpleasant, difficult, or impossible to use. Fifty-one percent had one or more side effects related to the treatment, most of them mild. A wide range of side effects was reported; the majority of which related to local discomfort. Three hundred and six patients (12%) discontinued treatment. A total of 79% of the patients recommended the treatment to other women with similar problems. CONCLUSIONS: Home-managed electrical stimulation was practicable and well accepted. Half of the patients reported various degrees of side effects with treatment, but no serious events were reported. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
AIM: To analyze side effects, feasibility, and adherence to treatment during home-managed electrical stimulation for urinary incontinence in women. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 3,198 Norwegian women treated with home-managed electrical stimulation from 1992 to 1994. Data were collected from both patients and physicians by questionnaires before and after treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of the patients found the stimulator easy or acceptable to use. Fifty percent had no or little discomfort from stimulator use. Nine percent found the stimulator very unpleasant, difficult, or impossible to use. Fifty-one percent had one or more side effects related to the treatment, most of them mild. A wide range of side effects was reported; the majority of which related to local discomfort. Three hundred and six patients (12%) discontinued treatment. A total of 79% of the patients recommended the treatment to other women with similar problems. CONCLUSIONS: Home-managed electrical stimulation was practicable and well accepted. Half of the patients reported various degrees of side effects with treatment, but no serious events were reported. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.