Success StoryHealthy Bladder Habits



Healthy Bladder Habits

Author: Ruth Chowning

Planning Unit: Bullitt County CES

Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General

Plan of Work: Active Living and Health Promotions, Aging

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The Bullitt County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent collaborated with Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA) leaders to teach the Health Bladder Habits lesson to participants from Bullitt, Henry and Shelby County. Research suggests that 50% of women will experience urinary incontinence (UI) at some point in their lifetime and half of women experiencing UI do not discuss it condition with their physician. This lesson aimed to teach healthy bladder habits and exercises to help prevent/reduce severity of UI as well as reduce stigma so that more women feel comfortable speaking to a healthcare specialist.

Participants rated lesson outcomes on a scale of 1 = Strongly Agree to 5 = Strongly Disagree in a follow-up survey. After participating in the Healthy Bladder Habits lesson, participants on average:

100 % Gained knowledge about the pelvic floor and urinary incontinence 

90% Gained knowledge about good bladder habits 

100% Gained knowledge that certain food and drinks may irritate my bladder

50% Gained knowledge about pelvic floor exercises that can help prevent or reduce UI

80% Feel more comfortable talking to their doctor about urinary incontinence

From learning the anatomy of the body to the foods that trigger incontinence, 100% of the participants would recommend this lesson to others and one had already done so by the end of the class.






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