Continence Foundation of Australia

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Continence Foundation of Australia
Promoting bladder and bowel health
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Organisation overview

• Peak body for continence promotion, management
  and advocacy
• Multidisciplinary approach to treating bladder
  and bowel control problems
• 1200 members including people with incontinence,
  carers, health professionals and industry
• State/territory branches and resource centers

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National Continence Management Strategy

• Australian Government initiative
• Established in 1998
• Aligns with the vision and mission of the CFA

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Continence Outreach Project

• National Continence Management Strategy
  initiative
• Three components managed by the CFA
• National Continence Helpline
• Continence Awareness Week
• liaison with continence-related agencies and
  groups

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National Continence Helpline
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Continence Awareness Week

• Key public forum
• Leverages partnerships with key stakeholders
• Broad range of promotional activities at a
  local/national level
• Demonstrates the effectiveness of a targeted
  campaign
• Highest number of calls to the National
  Continence Helpline
• Evaluation supports future planning

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Liaison

• Collaborative partnerships
• Maximises resources
• Overcomes barriers to promotion
• Produces mutually beneficial outcomes
• De-stigmatises incontinence

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Psychosocial barriers to promoting continence

• Embarrassment
• I could never bring myself to talk about
  it
• I feel so ashamed people must think I am
  disgusting
• I feel so alone but imagine what people
  would think if they found out

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Psychosocial barriers to promoting continence

• Denial
• Im not incontinent, I just dont make it
  to the toilet in time sometimes
• Its only a small leak, and it only happens
  when I cough, sneeze or laugh
• Its not a serious problem, it will
  probably go away on its own

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Psychosocial barriers to promoting continence

• Stereotypes
• Im getting old, and incontinence is
  inevitable with ageing
• Ive had a baby, and its normal to have
  little leaks after childbirth
• Ive had prostate cancer and every bloke I
  know has the same problem

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Psychosocial barriers to promoting continence

• Stigma
• People must think I am weak and have no
  control over my life
• My family and friends will stop wanting to
  be around me
• Im aboriginal and this problem is a shame
  job (shameful) in our culture

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Other barriers to promoting continence

• Lack of media interest
• Competing health conditions
• Not life threatening
• Language
• Geographical isolation
• Workforce issues

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Overcoming barriers to promotion

• Research
• Whole of health approach
• Collaboration
• Positive key messages
• Creativity
• Persistence