Effects of health education on women with urinary incontinence: systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective was to investigate the effects of health education (HE) on urinary symptoms and quality of life in women with urinary incontinence (UI).

A systematic review and meta-analysis of trials evaluating HE for women with UI. The risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials.

The search identified 5,118 articles. Eighteen papers were considered eligible. The interventions investigated included health education (HE), combined intervention, self-management (SM), and structured training (ST). Outcomes included quality of life (QoL), UI frequency, UI severity, impression of improvement, incontinence symptoms, urine leakage, fear of leakage, urgency, and incontinence impact. Compared with the control group there was a significant improvement in the frequency, severity, and impact on the QoL for women with UI (assessed by the total score of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ SF); RR = -1.47, 95% CI [-2.07, -0.88]; two trials; low certainty of the evidence).

This review shows that HE seems to be beneficial in the treatment of women with UI when compared with control women (no treatment or general health care), improving the frequency, severity, and impact on QoL assessed by the ICIQ SF total score. However, the certainty of this evidence is low.

International urogynecology journal. 2023 Dec 15 [Epub ahead of print]

Ana Jéssica Dos Santos Sousa, Jéssica Cordeiro Rodrigues, Juliana Falcão Padilha, Amanda Garcia Godoy, Adriana Menezes Degani, Alessander Danna-Santos, Patricia Driusso

Women's Health Research Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, CEP: 13565-905, Brazil., Urogynecological Physiotherapy Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, AP, Brazil., Laboratory for Advancements in Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA., Women's Health Research Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, CEP: 13565-905, Brazil. .