Effectiveness of kegel exercise education in women with urinary incontinence

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Urinary incontinence is a health problem which has a social aspect. Although it is not a life threatening condition, it has a negative effect on the quality of life. This study is carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Kegel exercises training on the women who were diagnosed with urinary incontinence and to develop "The Scale for Assessment of Kegel Exercise Effectiveness" and to test its validity and reliability. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study planned as a methodological and experimental one after a pretest- posttest in Sakarya Training and Research Hospital and Zeynep Kamil Women and Child Diseases Training and Research Hospital, between the dates of March-July 2017, among 105 women who had urinary incontinence. The data were collected via a questionnaire prepared by the researchers themselves, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, Bladder Diary, Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire and "The Scale for Assessment of Benefits and Applicability of Kegel Exercise Training" prepared in accordance with the literature. The data were evaluated by computerized environment using SPSS, percentage, mean test, independent t-test, ANOVA, pearson correlation analysis. The reliability of the scale is detected with test-retest, item-total correlation and inner-consistency analysis. RESULTS: The average age of women was 49,10±8,99. There was a difference between average scores of scales before and after Kegel exercise training according to the data 8 weeks later (p<0,05). The scale developed in this study was proved to be a valid and reliable one in the assessment of Kegel exercise training the cronbach's alpha value of the scale was found to be 0,719. CONCLUSION: The Kegel exercise study found that women had an impact on quality of life.