Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for inclusion. The duration of follow-up in the included studies ranged from 8 weeks to 2 years.
Specific interventions included in the review
Eligible studies had to compare any community continence care intervention in which a nurse played an important role, with usual care or no treatment. The included studies incorporated a number of different combinations of different interventional components. The most commonly reported elements involved nurses giving advice or information about pelvic floor muscle exercises, bladder training and giving other instructions to patients. Electrostimulation therapy, anticholinergic treatment, biofeedback and information about the anatomy of the urinary tract were also used in some studies. In 8 studies the nurses were reported as being specifically skilled or trained in the assessment and treatment of incontinence.
Participants included in the review
Studies of community-dwelling adults suffering from urinary incontinence were eligible for inclusion. The participants included in the review were all aged 26 years or older, with incontinence of varying type (stress, urge or mixed) and severity (at least twice a week, to at least once in the preceding month).
Outcomes assessed in the review
Eligible studies had to assess one or more of the following outcomes: episodes of incontinence (leaks), pad usage, pad test, quality of life, patient satisfaction and costs. The included studies used bladder diaries, frequency/volume charts, pad test, frequency or severity (using visual analogue scale or questionnaire), patient satisfaction (standardised instrument or questionnaire) and quality of life (e.g. Incontinence Impact Questionnaire or Urogenital Distress Inventory).
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.