Impact of urinary catheters including reusable catheters on quality of life and work productivity in persons with spinal cord lesion

This study investigates how different types of urinary catheters, including reusable ones, affect the quality of life and work productivity of people with spinal cord lesions (SCL). The research involved an online survey of 282 adults with SCL and examined factors like urinary incontinence, the need for regular self-catheterization, and performing catheterization away from home. The study found that bowel management problems significantly impacted all aspects of quality of life and work productivity assessed.

• 1
  Intermittent self-catheterization (ISC) did not show a superior disease-specific urinary quality of life compared to continuous indwelling catheterization.
• 2
  Work productivity and regular activities were found to correlate fairly well with disease-specific urinary quality of life.
• 3
  The absence of differences in PROs among the types of catheter used for ISC implies that Japanese reusable catheters have the potential to benefit selected persons with SCL.