Did you ever find yourself asking for directions, but even while you’re being told the right way to go, your mind is on other things and you’re not actually paying attention? That’s the difference between listening and hearing. It’s also the difference between winding up in the right place or being lost in the middle of nowhere.
The same goes for medical research. We as the health care community want to do what is best for patient, so we need to involve patients from the start. One of the barriers is that the Black community has not been involved in research. African Americans took part in less than 5% of clinical trials even though they make up more than 13% of the population.
We’re looking to change all that. We’re researchers in the field of urology, and with our Engaging and Amplifying Women’s Voices in SUI project, we’re searching for Black women who’ve had bladder leakage to share with us what it’s like to live with the condition. This is a patient-centered project, and it’s goal is to use real patient input to shape future research. After all, we believe that when it comes to who decides what’s worth examining, it’s not us who should be making all the decisions—it’s you who should be guiding our efforts.
If you leak when you laugh or cough or sneeze, this is for you. The same goes if you have wetness when you bend or lift or are otherwise physically active. Please take a moment to fill out this survey and tell us what your experience with doctors has been like, what treatment options you’ve been given and what results they’ve generated.
With your voice, your insight and your wisdom, you’ll be doing more than just helping us. You’ll be making a make a real, meaningful difference in the lives of millions of others just like yourself.
—Shenelle Wilson, MD, urologist, Metro Atlanta Urology and Pelvic Health Center, Kennesaw, GA; and Una Lee, MD, Urology Physician Lead, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, WA, and Project Lead for “Engaging and Amplifying Women’s Voices in Stress Urinary Incontinence Research Prioritization”
