The effect of telemedicine applications in compliance with abdominal-kegel exercises and lifestyle changes in patients with stress urinary incontinence: A Randomized controlled study

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program called "Happy Bladder" which was prepared based on the behavior change model theory and included telemedicine applications, compared to the traditional method. The study was a randomized controlled, parallel-arm, single-blind, single-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted between March 2022 and January 2024 in women aged 20-65 years who applied to the Urology outpatient clinic of Eskişehir City Hospital and were diagnosed with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and agreed to participate in the study. Participants were blindly divided into intervention (n=50) and control (n=50) groups by stratification according to age and block randomization. The researcher prepared a brochure titled "For a happy bladder..." and a website titled "Happy Bladder" about SUI, abdominal-Kegel exercises, lifestyle changes. Before the intervention (BI), UI diagnostic questionnaire, risk assessment questionnaire, incontinence short test (IQ), International Incontinence Questionnaire Form (ICIQ SF), e-health literacy scale were applied to evaluate the effect of UI on quality of life. In the intervention study, the control group was given a brochure, the intervention group was given a brochure, the link to the prepared website was sent, and training videos were shown. IQ was administered after the intervention (AI1). During the three-month follow-up period, daily text messages prepared in line with the training program were sent to the intervention group. The same tests were applied after three months of follow-up (AI2). In the intervention group, unlike the control group, there was a significant decrease in the score obtained from ICIQ-SF in AI2 (p<0.001), and a significant increase in IQ score in AI1 and AI2 compared to BI (p<0.001). In the study, telemedicine applications were found to increase patients' quality of life and knowledge about UI and to cause positive changes in their lifestyles.