Abstract
Introduction: Pelvic floor exercises are effective in the treatment of urinary incontinence (UC) and are routinely prescribed, along with bladder training, by primary healthcare providers as first line conservative management. Mobile phone applications are increasingly popular within the healthcare setting and can provide opportunities for patients to complete treatments at home. To date, there has not been a systematic review examining outcomes from randomised controlled trials on the effectiveness of mobile applications to improve UC.Methods: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of mobile applications to improve UC was carried out according to the PRISMA reporting guidelines. The online databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, JBI, Google Scholar were searched for papers published between 2007 to 2020. The search was conducted during the 3/3/20-15/4/20. Studies were appraised and data extracted by the first and second reviewers. Findings: In total four studies generated four categories, including high level of adherence; improved quality of life (QOL) and reduction of symptoms. The findings of this review reported that pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) can be effective to improve UC. Conclusion: Mobile applications for PFMT indicated that increase adherence to treatment and decrease UC. The integration of this treatment modality into current practice is recommended. Mobile phone applications for PFMT show promise in the conservative management of UC. Further research is required to support the use of this technology in the conservative management of UC.
Are Mobile Applications Effective on Preventing Urinary Incontinence and Reducing Urinary Incontinence Symptoms : A Review
