COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF A MOBILE HEALTH BEHAVIORAL INCONTINENCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM - Research Paper Abstract

Sep 29, 2026

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Language and cultural barriers limit many midlife and older ethnic minority women from using effective first-line behavioral interventions for urinary incontinence. This interdisciplinary, community-engaged project adapted an interactive smartphone program, MyHealtheBladder, for midlife and older Latina and Chinese American women with limited English proficiency using Barrera and Castro’s cultural adaptation framework. Adaptation used systematic review, translation, iterative community refinement, and pilot testing in Spanish- and Chinese-speaking women. Findings revealed shared communication challenges and culture-specific preferences for terminology, comfort with anatomical discussions, and expectations about self-management versus clinician consultation, informing language and case-example changes for behavioral technique reinforcement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Cultural adaptation framework and stakeholder engagement

Translation, iterative refinement, and pilot testing

Community findings and resulting language/terminology changes

1312 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 management interventions for urinary incontinence, despite these techniques’ proven effectiveness. This interdisciplinary, community-engaged project adapted an interactive smartphone program for behavioral incontinence management (MyHealtheBladder) to enable its use by midlife and older Latina and Chinese American women with limited English proficiency. Using Barrera and Castro’s cultural adaptation framework, we engaged geriatrician and incontinence experts, health communication scientists, and community advocates, in addition to Latina and Chinese American women with incontinence across the aging spectrum. The adaptation process involved systematic review and translation of program content, iterative discussion and refinement by community partners, and content pilot testing in Spanish- and Chinese-speaking women aged 46-77 years with weekly incontinence. Community engagement revealed universal challenges in discussing clinical and anatomical concepts related to incontinence, while identifying culture-specific considerations including varying comfort levels with bladder/bowel discussions, preferences for medical versus colloquial terminology, and differing expectations regarding patient self-management versus clinician consultation. The adaptation process resulted in multiple changes to the language or terminology used to describe toileting activities, pelvic anatomy, and patient-clinician interactions, as well as patient case examples used to reinforce behavioral management techniques. Results demonstrate how meaningful community partnership can identify both shared and distinct cultural needs in health intervention adaptation. The project’s community-engaged approach addressed language barriers while honoring cultural values and communication preferences, offering a model for adapting digital health interventions for diverse aging populations facing similar barriers for sensitive health conditions. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.4369 COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF A MOBILE HEALTH BEHAVIORAL INCONTINENCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Alison Huang1, Celia Kaplan1, Alayne Markland2, Claudia Vila Manes1, Jenny Chen1, Joyce Cheng3, Joana Mattero4, and Leah Karliner1, 1. University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, 2. University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 3. Chinese Community Health Resource Center, San Francisco, California, United States, 4. Mission Neighborhood Centers, San Francisco, California, United States Language and cultural barriers prevent many midlife and older ethnic minority women from accessing first-line behavioral

FAQs

What mobile health program was adapted for this study?

The project adapted an interactive smartphone program for behavioral incontinence management called MyHealtheBladder.

Which populations were included in the adaptation and pilot testing?

Pilot testing involved Spanish- and Chinese-speaking women aged 46–77 with weekly incontinence, including Latina and Chinese American women with limited English proficiency.

What key cultural and language barriers did community engagement reveal?

Community engagement identified universal challenges discussing clinical and anatomical incontinence concepts and culture-specific preferences for terminology, comfort with bladder/bowel discussions, and expectations about self-management versus clinician consultation.

Sep 29, 2026

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