Conhecimentos, atitudes e prática de médicos e enfermeiros da estratégia saúde da família em relação à incontinência urinária feminina

Abstract

Urinary incontinence (UI) is defined as the complaint of any involuntary loss of urine. It is a highly prevalent condition in women which impacts strongly their quality of life. In spite of this, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated because a great number of women doesn´t seek for treatment, health professionals don´t ask them about these symptoms and/or they don´t provide appropriate treatments to women. In Family Health Strategy (FHS), physicians and nurses, who are general professionals, provide urogynecology assistance. This study aimed to examine knowledge, attitudes and practice of physicians and nurses from the FHS in a city into São Paulo state about female UI. This is a cross sectional study, classified as a survey on primary care. At total 33 FHS´s professionals participate of the study, being 15 physicians and 18 nurses. To collect data was developed and used a self-application questionnaire with open and closed questions. Results show that most professionals have an adequate level of knowledge about UI´s clinical propaedeutic. However, a great number of them doesn´t know complementary tests and treatment for the initial management of UI in women, mainly for the Urgency UI. In general, there wasn´t significant difference at level of knowledge between physicians and nurses about UI, except the fact that nurses were more familiar with the current definition of UI than doctors. Related to the attitudes, the majority considers that doing diagnostic investigation and treatment of non-complicated UI are part of their attribution. About the practice, an expressible amount of these professionals doesn´t prescribe pelvic floor strengthening exercises, doesn´t perform popular education in health actions with the women or doesn´t promote permanent education with the health team in their working places. These findings suggest the requirement for investment in matrix support teams, such as Support Centre for Family Health (NASF) or by the partnership with graduation and post graduation health courses from local universities.