Telerehabilitation Screening in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Cross-Sectional Feasibility Study of an Online Questionnaire versus Perineometer Measures

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is commonly reported among women and negatively impacts their quality of life, yet many cases remain undiagnosed or undertreated. Remote assessment tools may help overcome barriers related to stigma, time, and access to pelvic health services. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the feasibility of a telerehabilitation screening approach using an online questionnaire to assess pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength in women with SUI, compared with a perineometer-based assessment of vaginal pressure. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional, assessor-blind trial was conducted on women selected from Kasr Al-Ainy women’s health outpatient clinic. Women were 20 to 60 years old, with a body mass index range of 20.5- 41.5 kg/m2. SUI was assessed using the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-Short Form (IIQ-7), administered online, followed by an in-clinic objective assessment of PFM strength using a perineometer to measure vaginal pressure. Results: A total of 116 women with SUI completed the online questionnaire and in-person perineometer assessment. The median (interquartile range, IQR) values of the IIQ-7 scores were 62.0 (10), with a range of 52-86. For vaginal pressure measurements, the median (IQR) value was 6 (4) mmHg, with a range of 0-14 mmHg. There was a statistically significant, moderate, negative correlation between IIQ-7 total score and vaginal pressure values (r = -0.32, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Implementing the online IIQ-7 within a telerehabilitation screening pathway for women with SUI is feasible, with questionnaire scores showing a moderate association with perineometer-evaluated PFM strength.