Group-Based Pelvic Floor Telerehabilitation to Treat Urinary Incontinence in Older Women: A Feasibility Study

Mélanie Le Berre (), Johanne Filiatrault, Barbara Reichetzer and Chantale Dumoulin ()
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Mélanie Le Berre: School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3N 1X7, Canada
Johanne Filiatrault: School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3N 1X7, Canada
Barbara Reichetzer: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC H2X 0C1, Canada
Chantale Dumoulin: School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3N 1X7, Canada

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: Less than half of women with urinary incontinence (UI) receive treatment, despite the high prevalence and negative impact of UI and the evidence supporting the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT). A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial aiming to support healthcare systems in delivering continence care showed that group-based PFMT was non-inferior and more cost-effective than individual PFMT to treat UI in older women. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of providing online treatment options. Therefore, this pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of an online group-based PFMT program for UI in older women. Thirty-four older women took part in the program. Feasibility was assessed from both participant and clinician perspectives. One woman dropped out. Participants attended 95.2% of all scheduled sessions, and the majority (32/33, 97.0%) completed their home exercises 4 to 5 times per week. Most women (71.9%) were completely satisfied with the program’s effects on their UI symptoms after completion. Only 3 women (9.1%) reported that they would like to receive additional treatment. Physiotherapists reported high acceptability. The fidelity to the original program guidelines was also good. An online group-based PFMT program appears feasible for the treatment of UI in older women, from both participant and clinician perspectives.

Keywords: urinary incontinence; telerehabilitation; aged; feasibility studies; women’s health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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