Impact of Behavioral Counseling on the Quality of Life of Women with Urinary Incontinence: An interventional study from Muscat, Oman

Objective : Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common public health concern among women worldwide which can have an adverse effect on the quality of life (QoL). This study sought to explore the effectiveness of behavioral counseling in improving the QoL of Omani women with UI. Methods : This cross-sectional interventional study was performed between July 1 , 2020 at the Al Mabila Health Center, a primary health care (PHC) center in Muscat, Oman. A total of 20adult Omani women who screened positive for UI using a modified 4-item version of the Short-Form Urinary Distress Inventory were recruited. Four separate 40-60-minute counseling sessions were conducted over the 12-month study period, focusing on lifestyle modifications, bladder training, and Kegel exercises. A validated Arabic version of the 7-item Incontinence Impact Questionnaire was used to determine the pre-post intervention impact of UI on general QoL as well as four specific domains of living (ability to perform daily prayers, physical activities, social life, and mental health). Results : The behavioral counseling sessions had a significant positive impact on overall QoL (t 19 = 12.03; p <0.001) as well as all four domains of living, including ability to perform daily prayers (t 19 = 6.30; p <0.001), daily physical activities (t 19 =7.51; p <0.001), social life (t 19 =9.38; p <0.001), and mental health (t 19 = 18.38; p <0.001). Conclusions : This study provides evidence to support the impact of behavioral counseling in tackling UI as a public health concern in Oman. These findings may help to form the basis for implementing cost-effective health education and counseling programs at PHC centers in Oman in order to improve women’s QoL and other metrics of community health. . the impact of the intervention on four specific of including the ability to perform prayers,