Urinary incontinence in the elderly: Attitudes and experiences of general practitioners

Figures & data

Table I.  Interview guide.

Attitude
A woman aged 75 years with moderate UI consults you because of UI; what is your first thought?
Do you send elderly patient with urinary incontinence more often to the physiotherapist compared with younger patients? If you do so, why? If you do something else, what and why?
Application of the UI guideline
What barriers do you experience in the case of older patients with urinary incontinence?
Do you do a diagnostic analysis as proposed in the guidelines?
Do you perform pelvic examination in the elderly with UI? If not, why not? If yes, why? What causes you to do so?
The guidelines for UI advise starting with pelvic floor exercises in the case of stress UI. What do you think about this? If you do something else what do you do and why?
The guidelines for UI advise starting with bladder training in the case of urge UI. What do you think about this? If you do something else, what do you do and why?
The guidelines for UI advise starting first with bladder training and after 6 weeks adding pelvic floor exercises in the case of mixed UI. What do you think about this? If you do something else, what do you and why?

Table II.  Demographics of the focus-group participants.

Demographic characteristic	Number
Male/female GP	6/7
Practice type
Solo	2
Group^*	11
Full/part time
Full time > or = 4 days	4
Part time < 4 days	9
Age group (years)
< 40	6
40–50	3
> 50	4

*Two or more doctors in one family practice.