Access to Continence Care & Treatment
Ben Franklin House
Suite T 172
834 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (212) 923-1492
Web site: http://www.wellnessweb.com/INCONT/acct/contents.htm

Access to Continence Care & Treatment is a Philadelphia-based national company that provides consultation, practice management, training, and research services related to the assessment, treatment, and management of urological and gynecological disorders, particularly urinary incontinence.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Publications Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 8547
Silver Springs, MD 20907-8547
Phone: (800) 358-9295
Web site: (general) http://www.ahrq.gov
(for guidelines) http://www.guideline.gov

AHRQ, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead agency charged with supporting research designed to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce costs of care, and broaden access to essential services. AHRQ's broad programs of research bring practical, science-based information to medical practitioners and consumers. The National Guideline Clearinghouse can be contacted to obtain copies of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines including those for urinary incontinence.

American Academy of Family Physicians
11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway
Leawood, KS 66211-2672
Phone: (800) 274-2237
Web site: http://www.aafp.org

The American Academy of Family Physicians is a national, non-profit medical association of family physicians, family practice residents, and medical students. The AAFP was founded to promote and maintain high-quality standards for family doctors that are providing continuing comprehensive healthcare to the public.

American Foundation for Urologic Disease
1126 North Charles
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 468-1800 or (800) 242-2383
Web site: http://www.afud.org

The American Foundation for Urologic Disease is a non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting research, education, and patient support for those who are affected by, or at risk for, urologic disease or disorder. The Bladder Health Council of the American Foundation for Urologic Disease can be reached at: 1-877-OVERACT or 1-877-683-7228. Public information materials on overactive bladder can be found at www.afud.org/oab

American Geriatrics Society (AGS)
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 801
New York, NY 10118
Phone: (212) 308-1414 or 1-800-247-4779
Web site: http://www.americangeriatrics.org

The AGS is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. It supports this mission through activities in professional education on the clinical care of older people, research, public information and education, public policy efforts, and by collaboration with other organizations.

AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 801
New York, NY 10118
Phone: (212) 755-6810
Web site: http://www.healthinaging.org
For information for caregivers of incontinent adults see:
www.healthinaging.org/eldercare

In 1999, the American Geriatrics Society reached beyond its traditional role as a professional medical society to launch the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). The FHA aims to build a bridge between the research and practice of geriatrics health care professionals and the public, and to advocate on behalf of older adults and their special needs: wellness and preventive care; self-responsibility and independence; and connections to family and community.

American Medical Association
515 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 464-5000
Web site: http://www.ama-assn.org

The work of the American Medical Association includes development and promotion of standards of medical practice, research and education, a strong advocacy agenda on behalf of patients and physicians, and the commitment to providing accurate, timely information and discourse on matters important to the health of America.

American Urogynecologic Society
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-4267
Phone: (312) 644-6610
Web site: http://www.augs.org

The American Urogynecologic Society is dedicated to research and education in urogynecology and to improved care for women with lower urinary tract disorders.

Canadian Continence Foundation
P.O. Box 30, Victoria Branch
Westmount, Qc. H3Z 2V4
Phone: (514) 488-8379
Web site: http://www.continence-fdn.ca

Founded in 1986, The Canadian Continence Foundation (formerly The Simon Foundation for Continence Canada) is the only Canadian non-profit organization serving the interests of people experiencing incontinence. The organization is led by people with incontinence and by professionals from all health disciplines. The Foundation's mission is to enhance the quality of life for people experiencing incontinence by helping, them and/or their caregivers, to confidently seek and access cures and treatment options. To this end, the Foundation will implement and encourage important public and professional education, support, advocacy and research to advance incontinence treatment and/or management.

International Continence Society
Office: Southmead Hospital
Bristol BS10 5NB
United Kingdom
Phone: +44(0)117 950 3510
Web site: http://www.icsoffice.org

The International Continence Society (ICS) is the world's leading multidisciplinary society for the study of lower urinary tract dysfunction. ICS has over 1600 members from more than 70 countries worldwide. The ICS website provides an excellent source of information and education as well as being an important communication link for the members and committees. The website is backed by a database providing the latest data on ICS meetings, committees, events, members, reports and membership issues.

National Association for Continence
P.O. Box 8310
Spartanburg, SC 29305-8310
Phone: (864) 579-7900
Information service: (800) BLADDER
Web site: http://www.nafc.org

The National Association for Continence (formerly Help for Incontinent People) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with incontinence. The purpose of NAFC is to be the leading source of education, advocacy, and support to the public and to health professionals about causes, prevention, diagnoses, treatments, and management alternatives for incontinence.

National Bladder Foundation
P.O. Box 1095
Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: (203) 431-0005
Web site: http://www.bladder.org

The National Bladder Foundation is dedicated to the rapid discovery of cures and preventive interventions for the most common bladder diseases through the support of research.

National Institute on Aging
Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
Phone: (800) 222-2225
Web site: http://www.nih.gov/nia

The Public Information Office at the National Institute on Aging produces science-based educational materials on a wide range of topics related to health and aging. Topics cover specific diseases and health conditions, treatments, and research. The materials are for the use of the general public, patients and family members, health professionals, voluntary and community organizations, and the media. The NIA publishes a public information Age Page on urinary incontinence.

National Kidney Foundation
30 East 33rd Street
Suite 1100
New York, NY 10016
(800) 622-9010 (toll free)
Web site: http://www.kidney.org

The National Kidney Foundation, Inc., a major voluntary health organization, seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.

National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse
3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3580
Phone: 800-891-3588
Web site: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/kidney/nkudic.htm

The National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. NKUDIC coordinates with other federal agencies, voluntary organizations at the national, regional, and local levels, professional groups, and state health departments. Working with a coordinating panel of representatives from these organizations, NKUDIC keeps abreast of information available about kidney and urologic diseases and their management and also develops materials when needed.

The National Women's Health Resource Center
120 Albany Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: (877) 986-9472
Web site: http://www.healthywomen.org

Since the late 1980s, the National Women's Health Resource Center, Inc. (NWHRC) has served as the national clearinghouse for women's health information and resources to help women educate themselves about the health topics that concern them the most. The non-profit organization is dedicated to helping women make informed decisions about their health, and encourages women to embrace healthy lifestyles to promote wellness and prevent disease. The information provided is supported by an advisory council comprised of the nation's leading medical and health experts.

The Simon Foundation
P.O. Box 835
Wilmette, IL 60091
Phone: (800) 23SIMON or
(847) 864-3913
Web site: http://www.simonfoundation.org

The Simon Foundation is a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to providing assistance and support to those suffering from urinary incontinence.

Tri-State Incontinence Support Group
51 Nassau Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Web site: http://www.idt.net

The Tri-state Incontinence Support Group is a mutual help group for people who share a problem with bladder or bowel incontinence, their friends, and their families. They originally served people in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area, but now have a web site with information and resources.

An on-line course "Urinary Incontinence in the Elderly: Assessment and Management, Implications for Health Professionals" is available at http://www.rnceus.com/UI.htm/

PUBLICATIONS

Bo, K. (1998). Effect of electrical stimulation on stress and urge urinary incontinence. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, Supplement 168, 77: 3-11.

Brink, C., Wells, T., Sampselle, C., Taillie, E., & Mayer, R. (1994). A digital test for pelvic muscle strength in women with urinary incontinence. Nursing Research, 43(6): 352-355.

Burgio, K., Locher, J., Goode, P., Hardin, J., McDowell, B., Domrowski, M., & Candib, D. (1998). Behavioral vs. drug treatment for urge urinary incontinence in older women. JAMA, 280(23): 1995-2000.

Burns, P., Pranikoff, K., Nochajski, T., Hadley, E., Levy, K., & Ory, M. (1993). A comparison of effectiveness of biofeedback and pelvic muscle exercise treatment of stress incontinence in older community-dwelling women. Journal of Gerontology, 48(4): M167-M174.

Busby-Whitehead, J., & Johnson, T.M. (1999). Urinary incontinence. In Gallo, J., Busby-Whitehead, J., Murphy, J., Stilliman, R., Robins, P. (eds.). Reichel's Care of the Elderly: Clinical Aspects of Aging 5th ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins. Busby-Whitehead, J., & Johnson, T. (1998). Urinary incontinence. In Beck, L. H. (ed.) Clinics in Geriatric Medicine: Genitourinary Problems. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunder Company.

DuBeau C.E., Urinary Incontinence. In: Cobbs E.L., Duthie E.H., Murphy, J.B., eds. Geriatrics Review Syllabus: A Core Curriculum in Geriatric Medicine, 5th ed., Blackwell Science, Inc., Malden, MA, for the American Geriatrics Society, 2002:139-148.

Fantl, J., Bump, R., Robinson, D., McClish, D., Wyman, J., & The Continence Program for Women Research Group. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 88(5): 745-749.

Fantl, J., Newman., D., Colling, J., et al. (1996). Urinary Incontinence in Adults: Acute and Chronic Management. Clinical Practice Guideline, No. 2. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service, Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research. AHCPR Publication No. 96-0682.

Johnson, T., & Busby-Whitehead, J. (1997). Diagnostic assessment of geriatrics urinary incontinence. American Journal of Medical Sciences, 314: 250-256.

Kincade, J. E., Johnson, T. M., Ashford-Works, C., Clarke, M. K., Busby-Whitehead, J. (1999). A pilot study to determine reasons for patient withdrawal from a pelvic muscle rehabilitation program for urinary incontinence. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 18(3): 379-396.

Ouslander, J., & Schnelle, J. (1995). Incontinence in the nursing home. Annals of Internal Medicine, 122(6):438-449.

Ouslander, J., Simmons, S., Tuico, E., Nigam, J., Fingold, S., Bates-Jensen, B., & Schnelle, J. (1994). Use of a portable ultrasound device to measure post-void residual volume among incontinent nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 42: 1189-1192.

Reuben, D.B., Herr, K., Pacala, J.T., et al. Urinary Incontinence. In Geriatrics at Your Fingertips: 2001 Edition. Belle Mead, NJ: Excerpta Medica, Inc. for the American Geriatrics Society; 2001: 141-144.

Sampselle, C., Burns, P., Dougherty, M., Newman, D., Thomas, K., & Wyman, J. (1997). Continence for women: Evidence-based practice. Journal of Obstetrical, Gynecological, and Neonatal Nurses, 26: 375-385.

Tomlinson, B., Dougherty, M., Pendergast, J., Boyington, A., Coffman, M., & Pickens, S. (1999). Dietary caffeine, fluid intake and urinary incontinence in older rural women. International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction , 10: 22-28.

Wyman, J., Fantl, J., McClish, D., Bump, R., and The Continence Program for Women Research Group (1998). Comparative efficacy of behavioral interventions in the management of female urinary incontinence. General Obstetrics and Gynecology, 179: 999-1007.

PATIENT EDUCATION & INFORMATION

Hulme, Janet A. (1997). Beyond Kegels. Fabulous four exercises and more…to prevent and treat incontinence Missoula, MT: Phoenix Publishing Co. Newman, Diane Kaschak (1997).

The Urinary Incontinence Resource Book. Los Angeles, CA: Lowell House.

Let's Talk About Bladder Control for Women. A public health awareness campaign conducted by the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). The campaign provides an extensive information packet to health professionals, with a detailed resource guide and publications list, and patient education brochures on a variety of topics.

AUDIOVISUAL & COMPUTER MATERIALS

Bladder Leakage-Don't Suffer in Silence. (28 minutes, $11.99) Pelvic Muscle Exercises (Kegels) Audio Cassette Tape and Manual. ($8) Men's Pelvic Muscle Exercises (Kegels) Audio Cassette Tape and Manual. ($8) These videotape and audio cassettes are available from the National Association for Continence, P.O. Box 8310, Spartanburg, SC 29305-8310, Phone: (864) 579-7900 or 1-800-BLADDER, Fax: (864) 579-7902, http://www.nafc.org.

Treating Urinary Incontinence: A Guide to Behavioral Methods for Patients and Caregivers. Family Health Media, P.O. Box 1842,
Charlottesville, VA 22903, 1-800-366-3641. (17 minutes, $99)

EQUIPMENT, ASSITIVE DEVICES and SUPPLIES

Bladder Scanner. The bladder scanner is an ultrasound device that provides the clinicians with information about the amount of urine left in the bladder after voiding (post-void residual). It is a useful tool for diagnosing urinary retention in both outpatient and nursing home settings. It is also used to manage patients at risk for retention and avoids unnecessary catheterization. Can be ordered from Diagnostic Ultrasound Corporation, P.O. Box 818, Redmond, WA 98073-0818, Phone: 1-800-331-2313.

FemTones System. FemTones are vaginal weights utilized as a safe training aid to help women learn to do pelvic floor exercises properly. Weights are available in sets of five smooth cones that range in weight from 20 grams to 70 grams. Each cone has a cord to facilitate removal. Manufactured by ConvaTec, a Bristol-Myers Squibb company, Contact ConvaTec at P.O. Box 5254, Princeton, NJ, Phone: 1-800-422-8811, http://www.convatec.com.

Innosense. The Innosense pelvic floor electrical stimulation system combines electromyography (EMG) and pelvic floor stimulation (PFS) to teach patients how to perform Kegels properly. The EMG function assesses the patient's ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles (Kegel exercise) and then teaches the patient to perform the activity correctly. The PFS function automates Kegel exercises for patients unable to contract their pelvic floor muscles. Can be ordered from Empi, Inc., 599 Cardigan Road, St. Paul, MN 55126-4099, Phone: (612) 415-9000 or 1-800-328-2536, Fax (336) 570-9358.

National Association for Continence, Resource Guide for Products and Services for Incontinence. The most complete directory of products and services ($10). Can be ordered from the National Association for Continence, P.O. Box 8310, Spartanburg, SC 29305-8310, Phone: (864) 579-7900 or 1-800-BLADDER, Fax: (864) 579-7902, http://www.nafc.org.

StepFree Vaginal Cones. A weighted plastic vaginal cone is inserted into the vagina like a tampon to help the patient identify and exercise the correct muscle group. By squeezing to keep the cone in place, the pelvic floor muscle will be exercised. Can be ordered from Timm Research Company, 6541 City West Parkway, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, Phone: (612) 947-9410 or 1-800-683-8938.

This resource list is adapted from the John A. Hartford Foundation/American Geriatrics Society Practicing Physician Education Project Tool Kit on Urinary Incontinence: Management in Primary Practice, by Jan Busby-Whitehead,MD; Jean Kincade, RN, PhD; Deborarh Lekan-Rutledge, MSN, RN, C; and Lisa Granville, MD. Tool kit series editor: Bruce Robinson, MD, MPH. Copyright 2000. The American Geriatrics Society.