Feasibility and Usability of Kegel Exercise Pregnancy Training App (KEPT App) among Pregnant Women with Urinary Incontinence

A scoping review of the types and features of technology used to deliver exercise prescription and improve exercise adherence

OBJECTIVE

Exercise adherence and motivation can benefit from technology, but the specific factors influencing these improvements remain unclear. This scoping review aimed to outline the types and features of technology used in exercise prescription within healthcare, focusing on enhancing users' adherence to exercise.

METHODS

A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted from January 2000 to February 2023 across Web of Science, Google Scholar, and MEDLINE via PubMed. The review sought studies on technology-based exercise prescriptions for adults ≥ 18 years, evaluating features that enhance motivation or adherence.

RESULTS

Out of 1724 articles reviewed, 45 met the criteria, demonstrating that mobile applications, exercise gaming, wearable trackers, and websites are commonly used technologies for prescribing exercise in healthcare setting. Common features, special features, and motivating features were found to be important in all technology-based exercise tools to enhance users' adherence and motivation.

CONCLUSION

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the technological types and approaches that can support and improve exercise adherence among health service users. The findings also emphasize on specific features that can address current gaps in technology-driven fitness interventions.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare professionals should make informed decisions when recommending these tools to health service users, since technology does play a significant role in promoting long-term adherence to exercise programs.

Prevalence, Knowledge and Awareness of Pelvic Floor Disorder among Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Centre, Malaysia

Pelvic floor disorders are common and of concern, as the majority of maternity healthcare providers seldom discuss this issue with patients compared to other antenatal issues. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and to assess the knowledge and awareness of pelvic floor disorder (PFD) among pregnant women in a tertiary centre in Malaysia. We also aim to assess the association between women’s risk factors regarding their knowledge and awareness of pelvic floor disorder so that primary prevention strategies can be planned, initiated and implemented in the future. This is a cross-sectional study with a total of four hundred twenty-four pregnant women that were recruited over a 6-month duration from May to November 2017 in a tertiary centre in Malaysia. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) was used to evaluate pelvic floor distress symptoms during pregnancy, namely urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and faecal incontinence. A validated Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire (PIKQ), which consists of 24 items, was used to assess respondents’ knowledge about urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). A total of 450 participants were approached, but 424 participants agreed to participate, showing a response rate of 94.3%. The median age was 31.5 years old, and 33.3% were primiparity. Overall, 46.1% of pregnant women had at least one symptom of pelvic floor disorder during pregnancy. Of these, 62.3% experienced urinary incontinence, 41.1% experienced symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, and 37.8% experienced symptoms of faecal incontinence. The overall median score of PIKQ was 12.0 (8.0, 17.0). The median score for PIKQ—UI was 7.0 (5.0, 9.0) and the median score for PIKQ—POP was 6.0 (4.0, 8.0). There were 341 (80.4%) pregnant women that had a low level of knowledge in UI, and 191 (45.0%) had a low level of knowledge in POP. Having a tertiary level of education and receiving antenatal specialist care were both associated with better proficiency in both the PIKQ—UI (p < 0.001) and PIKQ—POP (p < 0.001) subscales. Pelvic floor disorder during pregnancy was common. A knowledge of pelvic floor disorder was lacking among pregnant women in this study. Having a tertiary education and receiving antenatal specialist care were both associated with better knowledge proficiency. This study hopefully serves as a basic platform for future educational programs to bridge the knowledge gaps in PFD among pregnant women.