A multisite focus group study of US adult women's beliefs and assumptions about bladder health and function

Abstract

Aims: This analysis explored and characterized the ideas adult women have about how the bladder works, the assumptions guiding their bladder-related behaviors, and the beliefs they hold about how their behaviors affect bladder health. Methods: This was a directed content analysis of qualitative data from the Study of Habits, Attitudes, Realities, and Experiences, a focus group study conducted at seven United States research centers (July 2017 to April 2018). Participants were 316 adult women organized by four age categories (age range: 18−93 years). Analysis and interpretation focused on the "bladder assumptions and beliefs" code using a transdisciplinary lens and inductive approach.Results: During their focus group discourse, participants exhibited a speculative mode of thinking about bladder health and function characterized by uncertainty about how the bladder works. They described the bladder as a mechanism for cleansing the body of impurities, viewing it as part of a larger