Coloplast has conducted a qualitative study among health professionals working in the field of continence care. Interviews with health professionals working in urology and rehabilitation provided insights into the barriers to, and supporters of, adherent behaviour-suggesting ways in which health professionals can work with patients performing intermittent self-catheterisation (ISC) to support better adherence. This includes individualised training that addresses individual fears, ensures correct understanding of the body and the treatment, and eliminates misconceptions. They can also help patients set realistic ambitions, and give them practical advice that will help them adapt ISC to their daily life. Patients need to know how to handle urinary tract infections, how to cope with contradictory instructions from other sources, and how to identify support resources and accurate information. Specific challenges relating to support for urology patients and rehabilitation patients were also highlighted.
Keywords: Adherence; Behaviour change; Continence care; Health Action Process Approach (HAPA); Long-term conditions; Patient support.