Continence App® Impact on Puerperal Women's Knowledge, Attitude and Practice: Randomized Clinical Trial

Enhancing women's knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) concerning urinary incontinence (UI) through diverse educational strategies has been a focal point for professionals in recent years. This study was aimed at assessing the impact of the educational application Continence App® on the KAP of postpartum women experiencing UI. We hypothesized that access to the app would lead to improved KAP among these women.

Postpartum women who had undergone vaginal birth, aged 18 years or above, literate, admitted in a maternity ward, delivered a full-term or large-for-gestational-age infant, and possessed a smartphone or compatible device for app usage were included. Changes in KAP were evaluated using a survey specifically designed for this purpose. The Mann-Whitney U test was employed to compare KAP scores between control and intervention groups, as well as between baseline and post-intervention assessments.

Among the 542 women screened for eligibility, 349 were enrolled in the study, with 138 completing post-intervention assessments. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of participants was 25.9 (5.8) years. Post-intervention scores for knowledge and practice demonstrated a decline among non-app users, whereas a significant increase was observed among those in the intervention group. Attitudinal changes remained insignificant.

The findings highlight the effectiveness of an app-based educational intervention in enhancing the knowledge and practice related to UI among postpartum women.