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Category: Project

Description: Individuals with spina bifida (SB) often cope with decades of secondary health impairments, including urinary (UI) and/or fecal incontinence (FI). Research generally links UI and FI to lower social, physical and emotional well-being, but is limited by the use of retrospective and largely cross-sectional measures. This research study will pursue two specific aims: (1) Evaluate the feasibility of using EMA in a sample of adults with SB, (2) Describe the daily variability of UI and FI symptom experiences and well- being. For the first aim, we will examine participants’ compliance with study protocol, their data completion, any reactivity in their data reporting and their acceptability of study approach. In the second aim, we will examine within-person variability in EMA reports of UI and FI symptoms (e.g. severity and bother) and link this variability to daily social (e.g. daily activities and social interaction), physical (e.g. perceived health) and mental (e.g. higher stress, depressed mood, anxiety and embarrassment) well-being.