Categories: Press Releases
      Date: Aug 13, 2008
     Title: NAFC Speaks in Spanish

The National Association For Continence (NAFC) announces two new, gender-specific booklets to improve consumer accessibility in Spanish to health information regarding bladder and bowel control.

August 13, 2008 (CHARLESTON, SC) – This new publication series, Cuando el Baño No Espera, or When the Bathroom Doesn’t Wait, explains how a functioning urinary system works, defines the types of urinary incontinence, and lists treatment options for each, giving readers the opportunity to identify personal concerns and realize that these conditions are common among adults of both genders and all ages.  The booklet for women also specifically addresses pelvic organ prolapse, while the material for men additionally speaks about problems associated with an enlarged prostate.

In developing the content and illustrations, NAFC followed a “best practices” approach by conducting focus group research for consumer input about desired content, illustrations, and reading level. In addition, a national advisory task force consisting of clinicians serving high populations of Spanish-speaking patients in continence care was consulted for guidance. Rebecca Rogers, MD, gynecologist at the University of New Mexico and Chair of NAFC’s Hispanic Outreach Task Force, shares her excitement by stating, “The need for accessible materials that articulate these conditions and how to address the concerns that surround them is abundant. I am delighted to be associated with NAFC, an organization has identified the importance of such a program and taken the opportunity to fine tune their existing procedures to give the Spanish-speaking U.S. population a better chance to ask for, and consequently, receive proper healthcare.” A bilingual and bicultural full service agency, ranked by Advertising Age in the top ten nationally among Hispanic agencies, was hired to create the culturally sensitive materials. Accentmarketing is based in Coral Gables, Florida.

The outreach initiative by NAFC represents an ongoing effort over the current decade, benefiting from continuing grant support from the Medtronic Foundation.  NAFC’s activities include a Spanish language specialist at headquarters to respond to consumer questions and public service announcements nationwide in print, on radio and on television.  In addition, NAFC Executive Director, Nancy Muller, participated as a speaker in a national health disparities forum held earlier this year in Los Angeles.

As the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority in the U.S., the Hispanic population segment exceeds 35 million. This represents one in every eight Americans and constitutes over nine million households. Hispanics are witnessing a rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, both risk factors for incontinence. In addition, pregnancy and childbirth are leading risk factors for incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women.  NAFC’s outreach efforts have been fueled by recently published evidence that more Latinas report symptoms of both stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and SUI mixed with urge incontinence than non-Latinas in this country.  These higher prevalences are found to be largely associated with ethnic differences in parity, body mass index, diabetes, and hysterectomy including the removal of ovaries (1). Earlier published work reports a strong risk-adjusted positive association between Hispanic ethnicity and pelvic organ prolapse in women, a closely related pelvic floor disorder to incontinence (2).

NAFC’s Spanish language resources are conveniently available by visiting our Spanish section on www.nafc.org or by calling 1.800.BLADDER.  Bulk quantities may be ordered by healthcare professionals.

(1) Daneshgari F, Imrey PB, Risendal B, Dwyert A, Barber MD, & Byerst T.  Differences in urinary incontinence between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women: a population-based study.  British Journal of Urology, 101: 575-579.
(2) Swift S, Woodman P, O’Boyle A., Kahn M, Valley M, Bland D, Wang W, & Schaffer J.  Pelvic organ support study (POSST): the distribution, clinical definition, and epidemiologic condition of pelvic organ support defects.  American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 192(3):  795 - 806.