“I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college
IntroductionHealth care providers caring for youth with physical disabilities encourage them to be as independent as possible, which includes obtaining higher education when feasible. However, little is known about the experiences of higher education students in managing their toileting.MethodsWe pe...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pediatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2024.1397229/full |
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| author | Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Jodi M. Kreschmer Saumya Gupta Allison Lee Aruna V. Sarma Aruna V. Sarma Courtney S. Streur Courtney S. Streur |
| author_facet | Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Jodi M. Kreschmer Saumya Gupta Allison Lee Aruna V. Sarma Aruna V. Sarma Courtney S. Streur Courtney S. Streur |
| author_sort | Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionHealth care providers caring for youth with physical disabilities encourage them to be as independent as possible, which includes obtaining higher education when feasible. However, little is known about the experiences of higher education students in managing their toileting.MethodsWe performed 1:1 semi-structured interviews with 13 current college students with physical disabilities (4 male, 9 female), of whom six were on a formal bladder and/or bowel management program. Three researchers analyzed all transcripts using constructivist grounded theory procedures.ResultsWe identified six themes, including: (1) adherence to prescribed programs, (2) importance of time management, (3) interfering with class, (4) balancing intake and toileting, (5) campus bathroom experiences, and (6) acclimating to new living situations. Students needed strong personal skills in time management, adaptability, and self-advocacy to both manage their toileting needs and engage in academic and social activities. This often took time to develop while in college. They faced barriers such as a lack of private, well-maintained bathrooms.ConclusionsHealth care providers should encourage their patients to develop these personal skills prior to starting college, while colleges need to better support these students through honoring their accommodation needs and ensuring the availability of private, accessible bathrooms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-757a27488a8d4204b00872f4e881719c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2296-2360 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-757a27488a8d4204b00872f4e881719c2025-08-20T02:12:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pediatrics2296-23602024-09-011210.3389/fped.2024.13972291397229“I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during collegeOluwaferanmi O. Okanlami0Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami1Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami2Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami3Jodi M. Kreschmer4Saumya Gupta5Allison Lee6Aruna V. Sarma7Aruna V. Sarma8Courtney S. Streur9Courtney S. Streur10Department of Family Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Urology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDivision of Student Life, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDivision of Student Life, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Urology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Urology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesIntroductionHealth care providers caring for youth with physical disabilities encourage them to be as independent as possible, which includes obtaining higher education when feasible. However, little is known about the experiences of higher education students in managing their toileting.MethodsWe performed 1:1 semi-structured interviews with 13 current college students with physical disabilities (4 male, 9 female), of whom six were on a formal bladder and/or bowel management program. Three researchers analyzed all transcripts using constructivist grounded theory procedures.ResultsWe identified six themes, including: (1) adherence to prescribed programs, (2) importance of time management, (3) interfering with class, (4) balancing intake and toileting, (5) campus bathroom experiences, and (6) acclimating to new living situations. Students needed strong personal skills in time management, adaptability, and self-advocacy to both manage their toileting needs and engage in academic and social activities. This often took time to develop while in college. They faced barriers such as a lack of private, well-maintained bathrooms.ConclusionsHealth care providers should encourage their patients to develop these personal skills prior to starting college, while colleges need to better support these students through honoring their accommodation needs and ensuring the availability of private, accessible bathrooms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2024.1397229/fullspina bifidacerebral palsydisabilitypersons with disabilitiesneurogenic bladderneurogenic bowel |
| spellingShingle | Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Oluwaferanmi O. Okanlami Jodi M. Kreschmer Saumya Gupta Allison Lee Aruna V. Sarma Aruna V. Sarma Courtney S. Streur Courtney S. Streur “I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college Frontiers in Pediatrics spina bifida cerebral palsy disability persons with disabilities neurogenic bladder neurogenic bowel |
| title | “I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college |
| title_full | “I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college |
| title_fullStr | “I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college |
| title_full_unstemmed | “I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college |
| title_short | “I'm a bathroom expert”: a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college |
| title_sort | i m a bathroom expert a qualitative study exploring how students with physical disabilities manage toileting during college |
| topic | spina bifida cerebral palsy disability persons with disabilities neurogenic bladder neurogenic bowel |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2024.1397229/full |
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