Intermittent catheters (IC) are special medical devices used by people who have trouble emptying their bladder. Such bladder troubles can happen due to many illnesses and injuries, including damage to the spinal cord, problems with the nervous system, or other conditions that affect how the bladder works. ICs help individuals by allowing them to empty their bladders in a controlled way.
Understanding the amount of people who use ICs, their age, for example, and the health conditions they have will help ensure the planned use of the devices corresponds to the care patients receive. Studying IC use will enable healthcare professionals to identify potential gaps in care and areas for improvement. It will also allow them to assess whether patients are receiving appropriate and timely access to ICs, to ensure that their bladder management needs are adequately met. In the future, this information could also be used to inform better supply and development of ICs to ensure that patients experience better outcomes.
We will use anonymised primary care data to investigate the feasibility of conducting a study to understand the amount of IC use by health conditions of interest. In this feasibility we will assess whether patients who are prescribed ICs have underlying conditions recorded in their medical records to complete a full analysis.
ICs are frequently used by patients with spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, urinary retention, or other medical conditions that affect bladder function. The use of ICs allows these individuals to effectively manage their bladder emptying.
Understanding the patterns of IC usage is crucial as it helps identify the prevalence and frequency of IC use among different patient populations. By analysing the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who rely on ICs, researchers can gain insights into the specific needs and challenges faced by these individuals.
Moreover, studying the patterns of IC usage enables healthcare professionals to identify potential gaps in care and areas for improvement. It allows them to assess whether patients are receiving appropriate and timely access to ICs, ensuring that their bladder management needs are adequately met. This information can guide the development of strategies to enhance patient outcomes and optimise the provision of ICs.
The aim of this study is to assess the number of patients in England who have a primary care prescribed ICs, and describe their demographic characteristics such as age and gender and IC characteristics such as type (gel or hydrophilic and whether a standard, discreet, or closed) and brand. We will also describe the number and proportion of patients with an IC by specific bladder dysfunction or urinary tract condition. These descriptive summaries will aid in determining whether ICs which are prescribed in primary care reflect overall usage in England to facilitate a full analysis to describe the patient populations who require IC and how ICs are used, for example the type and duration.
Number of patients prescribed an IC; Number of patients prescribed an IC by brand; Number of patients prescribed an IC by IC type (gel, hydrophilic standard, hydrophilic discreet, hydrophilic closed standard); Number of patients prescribed an IC by age; Number of patients prescribed an IC by gender; Number of patients prescribed an IC by bladder dysfunction or urinary tract condition (Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular accident, spina bifida, paralytic syndrome, spinal cord injury, diabetes, diabetic or peripheral neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, dementia, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, urethral stricture and pelvic organ prolapse).
Jennifer Davidson - Chief Investigator - Health iQ Ltd ( UK ) t/a CorEvitas
Sophie Graham - Corresponding Applicant - Evidera, Inc
Andre Ng - Collaborator - Health iQ Ltd ( UK ) t/a CorEvitas