Continence app: construction and validation of software for urinary incontinence prevention in postpartum women

Oriá M O B1, Vasconcelos C T M1, Saboia D M1, Bezerra K D C1, Vasconcelos Neto J A2, Lopes M H B D M3, Firmiano M L V4, Nascimento S L1, Frota I P1, Bizarria L B1, Lima A C4, Augusto K L4

Research Type

Clinical

Abstract Category

Continence Care Products / Devices / Technologies

Abstract 577
Open Discussion ePosters
Scientific Open Discussion Session 28
Friday 31st August 2018
13:15 - 13:20 (ePoster Station 9)
Exhibition Hall
Nursing New Devices Prevention Stress Urinary Incontinence Female
1. Federal University of Ceará, 2. General Hospital of Ceará, 3. Campinas University, 4. MEAC
Presenter
M

Mônica Oliveira Batista Oriá

Links

Poster

Abstract

Hypothesis / aims of study
Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent clinical condition among women. Among the risk factors for its development are the advancing age and obstetric history. The literature reveals that UI can be avoided in some cases and points to the Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) as a recommended measure with positive results. Despite this, there is a lack of awareness among women about prevention. In this context, health education mediated by educational technology emerges as a strategy to enable individuals to adopt positive behaviors in regard to their health. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study was: is an educational app for mobile devices valid for appearance and content for UI prevention in postpartum women? Thus, the study aim were to build and validate an educational application called Continence App as a technology for UI prevention in postpartum women.
Study design, materials and methods
It was a technological development study, which consists of building and developing software and other technological strategies. The application construction was funded by the Brazilian Agency (CNPq, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, in English) and took four steps: modeling, navigation design, interface abstract design and implementation. For validation, a Content Validity Index of not less than 0.78 and a minimum proportion of 75% of agreement among the evaluators regarding the application's appearance was considered appropriate.
Results
The modeling step was supported by the systematic review of effective postpartum interventions to prevent UI that revealed TMAP as the most commonly used intervention in the literature to prevent UI associated with pelvic floor education, lifestyle modifications, and positive reinforcement. In the navigation project stage, the menus, images and the organization of the data were elaborated. The content of the Continence App was divided and presented in the application in four informative cards: I) Knowing the subject that brings information about pelvic floor anatomy and physiology, risk factors and UI subtypes; II) Week zero, brings proprioception tips and proper contraction of the pelvic floor muscles; III) Training program, it brings a program of muscular training divided in twelve weeks, with exercises that increase in intensity; IV) Healthy behavior with tips for maintaining proper weight and ways to avoid constipation. The appearance of the application was decided with the help of a systems developer in the abstract interface phase. In the last step, the application was available to the Android and iOS platforms (Figure 1). In the validation process, twenty-two specialists (eleven health specialists and eleven experts from the information technology / computation / communication areas) and twenty-two postpartum women were invited to evaluate the educational application in terms of content and appearance. The application was validated with CVI = 0.93 (health experts assessment) and agreement percentage ranging from 81.8% to 100% in the assessment of the specialists and the target audience regarding appearance. In this step, points of adjustment were identified in relation to the content and interface of the application which were considered and corrected.
Interpretation of results
The construction and validation of the Continence app followed a rigorous process with complex steps and presence of judges from the health area (nursing, uroginecologists and physiotherapists) and the area of communication / information technology / journalism. The application has reached percentages above the minimum to be considered valid both in appearance and content. All the judges' suggestions on the content were adhered to. The next step, which is already underway, is the clinical validation of the application to test its effectiveness.
Once the requested modifications have been made, the application is validated for use as educational technology to prevent urinary incontinence in postpartum women.
Concluding message
It is necessary to build technologies to promote women's health in relation to urinary incontinence. However, these technologies need to undergo a rigorous validation process until they are offered to women. This will increase the quality of the technology offered, in addition to increasing the chances of success in its use.
Figure 1
References
  1. ABRAMS, P. et al. Incontinence (Ed. 6), ICUD, Vancouver, CA (2017).
  2. WOODLEY, S. J. et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. The Cochrane Library, 2017
Disclosures
Funding The application construction was funded by the Brazilian Agency (CNPq, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, in English) Clinical Trial No Subjects None
28/03/2024 10:22:46