The effect of a counseling and training program on the treatment of women with overactive bladder

Anticholinergic drugs and behavioral interventions are effective methods for the treatment of OAB and UUI. This randomized controlled, prospective, and quasi-experimental study determined the effect of healthy lifestyle behavior training, based on the Health Promotion Model (HPM), on the treatment of women with Overactive Bladder (OAB). The study sample included intervention and control groups with a sample size of 100 women diagnosed with OAB who received pharmacological treatment and agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected using an Introductory Information Form, Urinary Diary, OAB Questionnaire (OAB-V8), King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ), Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale II (HLSB II), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and 24-hour Pad Test. The intervention group was administered a 45-minute training program based on Pender's HPM. There was a statistically significantly higher level of decrease in urgency (z = -3,259;p = 0,001), nocturia (z = -3,691;p < 0,001), urge urinary incontinence (z = -2,391;p = 0,017), and urinary frequency (χ² = 17,420;p < 0,001) in the intervention group during the posttest period. The study found a significant decrease in the total posttest scores of the women in the intervention group on the OAB-V8 (t = -6.955;p < 0.001), KHQ (t = -5.354;p < 0.001), and BSI (t = -6.463;p < 0.001) scales whereas a statistically significant increase was found in their total score on the HLSB II (t = 9.139;p < 0.001) scale. The study concluded that HLSB training, which was prepared based on HPM, reduced OAB symptoms among women, improved the quality of their lives, changed their HLSBs, and positively affected their psychological symptoms.