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Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to understand the incidence of urogenital symptoms among a sample of women around the menopause
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to understand the effect of an exercise program on women's urogenital health, HRQL, and knowledge regarding urogenital symptoms
Women around the menopause often report vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, urinary incontinence and urinary tract infections. The major aim of this study was to examine the effects of an exercise health promotion program on women’s urogenital health, health related quality of life (HRQL), and knowledge regarding urogenital symptoms among a sample of women aged 45-65.
Methods:
This study was conducted at one obstetrics/gynecologic outpatient departments in one medical center. Twenty women aged 45-65 and with at least one type of urogenital symptoms were invited to attend an exercise health promotion program. The program included a 4-hour education program and a 6-month exercise program. The exercise program consists of at least 40 minutes moderate-intensity exercise and 20 minutes Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT). Expected goal of moderate-intensity exercise and PFMT was 160 and 80 minutes per week. Participants were requested to complete a questionnaire at the beginning, at the end of the 1st, the 3rd and the 6th month of the program.
Results:
Paired t-test showed significant improvement of women’s urogenital symptoms (3.79 vs. 2.84; t = 3.26, p = .004), HRQL (76.24 vs. 86.82; t = - 2.30, p = .04) and knowledge regarding urogenital symptoms (9.22 vs. 13.09; t = - 9.95, p = .000) before and at the end of the 1st month of the program. This study is an on-going project, information at the end of the 3rd and the 6th month will be collected later.
Conclusion:
Initial results of this study confirmed the positive effects of this program on women’s urogenital health, HRQL, and knowledge regarding urogenital symptoms. Results of this study may lead to accessible intervention and strategy to improve women’s urogenital health.