Factors influencing long-term adherence to pelvic floor exercises in women with urinary incontinence.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
To ensure the effectiveness of Physical Therapy for urinary incontinence (UI), it is crucial that patients adhere to treatment in both the long and the short term. Treatment adherence may prevent symptom progression and the need for surgery, which is associated with higher costs and potential complications. Adherence is defined as carrying out a recommended behavioral modification or change. The World Health Organization (WHO) has established that adherence is a multifactorial phenomenon determined by the interaction of five dimensions, which include diverse factors that affect long-term adherence on many levels.


AIM
To identify the factors that influence long-term adherence to pelvic floor exercises in women with UI.


METHODS
Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The sample was recruited from the "Centro Integral de Reeducación de Piso Pélvico" (CIREP), and included 61 women treated for UI at the center in 2014 and 2015. Participants completed a self-administered, 28-item questionnaire developed for this study based on the WHO five dimensions. Data analysis was performed using STATA 13.0 software.


RESULTS
Having performed pelvic floor home exercises after discharge from Physical Therapy was significantly associated with self-rated treatment adherence (P < 0.001). Patient-related factors were significantly associated with long-term adherence to the pelvic floor exercise program (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSION
Patient-related factors, exerted the strongest influence on long-term adherence to pelvic floor exercises in women with UI; forgetting to do the exercises and boredom with the exercises were the factors most strongly related to low treatment adherence, while motivation and commitment were associated with high adherence in this population.
['Venegas|Mónica|M|0000-0001-6368-5041', 'Carrasco|Bernardita|B|', 'Casas-Cordero|Romina|R|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005081:Exercise Therapy D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008875:Middle Aged D009042:Motivation D010349:Patient Compliance D017773:Pelvic Floor D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014549:Urinary Incontinence D055815:Young Adult
pelvic floor exercises urinary incontinence physical therapy WHO treatment adherence