Improving urinary incontinence management for adults with spina bifida
Official title: A patient-centered approach to urinary incontinence in adults with spina bifida
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-10742128 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a friendly app called MyGoal-A to help adults with spina bifida manage urinary incontinence by letting them track how it impacts their daily lives and set personal treatment goals that fit their unique situations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $237,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R03DK134518-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10742128 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 21 and older who have spina bifida and experience urinary incontinence.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have spina bifida or those under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a patient-centered app called MyGoal-A to assist adults with spina bifida in managing urinary incontinence. The app will help users evaluate how urinary incontinence affects their lives and set personalized treatment goals that consider their unique circumstances, such as work and relationships. By integrating various aspects of their lives, the app aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their treatment options. The approach builds on previous work with children, adapting it for adult needs without parental involvement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide adults with spina bifida a tailored tool to better manage urinary incontinence and improve their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in developing similar patient-centered tools for children, indicating potential for success in this adult-focused approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Szymanski, Konrad — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Szymanski, Konrad
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving care and outcomes for people living with spina bifida in Wisconsin
A patient-friendly project aims to improve everyday care and health outcomes for people with spina bifida in Wisconsin.
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The National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at University of Pittsburgh
A national registry project at the University of Pittsburgh aims to collect and organize information about people with spina bifida to improve care.
-
Improving Care and Outcomes for People Living with Spina Bifida
A patient-friendly project aims to improve how people with spina bifida are cared for and how well they do over time.
-
Scoliosis and neurosurgical factors in myelomeningocele: a clinic registry study
This project uses registry data from Penn State’s Spina Bifida Clinic to understand how brain and spine-related issues influence when and why scoliosis surgery is needed in people with myelomeningocele.
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UMPIRE: Better Urologic Care for Babies with Spina Bifida
This grant tests how to best protect kidney function in newborns with spina bifida by comparing and refining urologic care practices across multiple hospitals.
-
Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network to Improve Outcomes
A national program is expanding coordinated care networks and a patient registry to help people with Spina Bifida get better, more consistent care.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.