Application of Internet-based Self-management Intervention in the Clinical Treatment of Middle-aged and Elderly Female Patients with Stress Urinary Incontinence: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is one of the common diseases in middle-aged and elderly women, which seriously affects their quality of life and physical and mental health. Internet medicine has the advantages of flexibility, privacy and accessibility, which can be used as an effective approach of self-management intervention for urinary incontinence patients. However, its effectiveness on the clinical treatment of middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients is unclear. Objective To explore the effects of Internet-based self-management intervention on improving clinical symptoms, self-efficacy, and psychological status in middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients. Methods A total of 120 middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients treated in the Air Force 986 Hospital of PLA from January to December 2022 were recruited. They were randomly assigned into control group (n=60) and experimental group (n=60) by double-blind random number table method. Patients in both groups were given conventional pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), with 20 minutes per day, once every other day for a course of 10 times of PFMT, and those in the experimental group were additionally given Internet-based self-management intervention for 6 months. Outpatient re-examination and follow-up visits were conducted before treatment and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Clinical symptoms of SUI in middle-aged and elderly female patients were evaluated by surveying the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICI-Q-SF) and 1-hour pad test, thus determining the clinical efficacy. The Broome Pelvic Muscle Self-efficacy Scale (BPMSES) was used to evaluate the self-management efficacy. The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to evaluate the anxiety and depression status, respectively. Results The ICI-Q-SF scores of experimental group at 3 months [ (6.58±3.91) points vs. (9.27±3.11) points, P<0.05] and 6 months [ (3.37±2.74) points vs. (7.41±3.55) points, P<0.001] after treatment were significantly lower than those of control group. Urinary loss in 1-hour pad test at 3 months [ (4.83±1.64) g vs. (5.29±2.34) g, P<0.05] and 6 months [ (2.16±0.88) g vs. (3.87±1.66) g, P<0.01] after treatment was significantly less in the experimental group than that of control group. The total clinical effective rate of the control group was significantly lower than that of the experimental group (78.33%, 47/60, vs. 91.67%, 55/60, χ2=6.227, P=0.044). The total scores of BPMSES in the experimental group at 3 months [ (105.70±15.68) points vs. (77.90±17.52) points, P<0.05] and 6 months [ (126.61±16.64) points vs. (108.12±15.74) points, P<0.05] after treatment were significantly higher than those of control group. The expected self-efficacy scores of the experimental group at 3 months [ (69.27±5.91) points vs. (59.08±6.84) points, P<0.05] and 6 months [ (79.71±10.41) points vs. (61.17±6.92) points, P<0.001) ] after treatment were significantly higher than those of control group. The expected efficacy scores at 3 months [ (58.17±8.69) points vs. (50.26±9.04) points, P<0.05] and 6 months [ (64.93±7.84) points vs. (50.17±8.76) points, P<0.001) after treatment were significantly higher in the experimental group than those of the control group. The SAS scores [3 months (43.29±7.71) points vs. (45.25±7.50) points, P<0.05; 6 months (39.18±8.32) points vs. (42.58±8.39) points, P<0.001] and SDS scores [3 months (46.86±10.62) points vs. (47.17±10.22) points, P<0.05; 6 months (38.68±11.24) points vs. (42.54±10.31) points, P<0.001] at 3 months and 6 months were significantly lower in the experimental group than those of the control group. Conclusion Internet-based self-management intervention can significantly improve the self-management efficacy of middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients and alleviate psychological states of depression and anxiety, thus enhancing the clinical efficacy of PFMT on middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients. It provides unique advantages in improving treatment compliance and relieving negative psychological factors in middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients. Serving as a safe, effective and economic friendly intervention, Internet-based self-management intervention is worthy of clinical promotion to middle-aged and elderly female SUI patients.