Beam up and Glow
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Barriers and Enablers to Accessing Medical care for Urinary incontinence and Prolapse in GLobal majority Women.
IRAS ID
360534
Contact name
Lucy Dwyer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Many women in the UK experience problems like urinary leakage and pelvic organ prolapse, but most don’t seek medical help. For example, nearly half of women report leaking urine, yet over half of those who leak daily haven’t asked for treatment. Similarly, while about half of women show signs of prolapse when examined, only a small number seek care.
This is may be an even bigger issue for women from ethnic minority backgrounds. Research shows they face extra challenges when trying to access healthcare. At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, data reveals that White British and White Irish women make up two-thirds of patients seeking help for these problems, even though they represent only half the local population. In contrast, Pakistani and African women are much less likely to be referred with these problems despite being a significant part of the community.
To better understand why this happens, the project will explore how ethnicity influences women’s feelings about reporting these symptoms and seeking treatment. The study will involve two groups:
1) Women from ethnic minority backgrounds who are already attending the urogynaecology clinic will be interviewed about whether they faced challenges in seeking care and if so, how they overcame them.
2) The project will also reach out to women in the community who have not sought help for these conditions to understand their knowledge of and perceived barriers to getting treatment for urinary incontinence and prolapse.By listening to women’s experiences, the project hopes to identify ways to improve access to care and facilitate more women from all backgrounds to get the support they need for pelvic floor problems.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
25/WA/0334
Date of REC Opinion
5 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion