The effect of web-based genital hygiene education given to orthopedically disabled women on self care agency and genital hygiene behaviors

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of web-based genital hygiene education given to orthopedically disabled women on self care agency and genital hygiene behaviors. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a randomized controlled empirical research model. The study was consisted of 62 orthopedically disabled women who were registered with The Batman Province Orthopedic Disabled Association 31 for experimental and 31 for control group. The research data were collected between June and November 2019 and the Descriptive Questionnaire, Self Care Scale and Genital Hygiene Behavior Scale were used to obtain the data. The women in the experimental group were given web-based genital hygiene education that continued for seven weeks by the researcher. In the analysis of the data number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, Bonferroni test, t test in independent groups, ANOVA test for repeated measures and ANCOVA test were used. Findings: It was found that there is a statistically significant difference between the pre-test, mid-test and post-test total mean scores of Self Care Scale, Genital Hygiene Behavior Scale and all sub-dimensions in the expiremental group (p <0.001) and there is not a significant difference in the control grouop (p> 0.05). It was found that the pre-test, mid-test and post-test Self Care Scale scores of disabled women in the experimental and control groups were statistically significant (p= 0.032, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). It was found that the mid-test and post-test Genital Hygiene Behavior Scale and all sub-dimensions scores of disabled women in the experimental and control groups were statistically significant (p<0.001). Result: The web-based genital hygiene education given to women with orthopedically disabled women was an effective innovative nursing practice in increasing self care agency and supporting genital hygiene behaviors. Key words: Genital hygiene, orthopedic disability, self-care agency, web-based education.