Caregiver Burden for Those Who Care for Adults With Impaired Functional Status Clinical Trial
Official title:
Quality of Life in Adults Impaired Functioning - A Randomized Controlled Trial of Bidet vs Usual Toileting
Our expectations (hypotheses) are:
Primary outcome
1. Regular bidet use will improve quality of life around elimination in adults with
impaired functional status. Functional status will be measured by activities of daily
living (ADL).
2. Regular bidet use by adults with impaired functional status will improve the quality of
life around toileting for their caregivers.
Secondary
3. Regular bidet use will reduce the incidence, frequency and severity of constipation (as
measured by self-report) in adults with impaired functional status.
4. Regular bidet use will reduce the incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in adult
women with impaired functional status.
The study will assess the use of a bidet (a device that is attached to the toilet which
allows a person to wash their genitalia after elimination) in improving toilet related
quality of life for functionally impaired individuals as measured by ADLs and caregivers of
functionally impaired adults. We also want to see if bidet use is effective in lowering the
incidence of urinary tract infections in this high risk population.
Functional impairment around toileting has been shown to negatively impact quality of life
(QOL) for both patients and their caregivers. We hope to learn if the use of bidet will
improve QOL in this population.
Urinary tract infections increase the risk of morbidity and mortality in women with impaired
functional status. Specifically the risk of hospitalization, sepsis, kidney failure and other
complications. There are not currently effective forms of non-pharmaceutical prevention.
Bidets are safe, inexpensive and hygienic. Individuals with functional impairment often have
difficulty maintaining their hygiene due to frailty and functional limitations. It is our
hope that addressing these issues will lead to a reduced incidence of UTI.
Constipation is a common problem in elderly adults and in adults with impaired functional
status. It is our hope that the bidet will reduce the frequency and severity of constipation
(as measured by self report).
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