Effect of a Pender Model-Based Mobile App on Symptom Severity, Quality of Life, and Sleep in Menopausal Women With Urinary Incontinence

Menopause is a natural process marking the end of the reproductive period and is accompanied by hormonal changes. These changes can significantly affect women's physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being. Symptoms experienced during and after the menopausal transition vary among individuals, and the severity of these symptoms may influence daily life activities. A woman's awareness of menopause and recognition of its symptoms play an important role in determining quality of life. During menopause, the vascular and vasomotor systems, skeletal structure, and genitourinary system are commonly affected. Frequently reported symptoms include urinary incontinence, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal problems, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability, and other physical and emotional changes. Genitourinary symptoms associated with hormonal changes may negatively affect women's quality of life and self-care abilities. Urinary incontinence is a health problem that arises from dysfunction of the continence mechanism and has a profound impact on the quality of life of menopausal women. It is associated with various individual and environmental risk factors. Factors such as age, sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, chronic conditions, lifestyle factors, and obesity may contribute to the development of urinary incontinence during menopause. As key members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team, nurses play an important role in identifying urinary incontinence, teaching and implementing conservative treatment methods, and providing counseling on preventive strategies. Management of urinary incontinence includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, behavioral approaches, and surgical interventions. The Health Promotion Model focuses on understanding health-promoting behaviors and evaluating factors that influence these behaviors. The model emphasizes that health behaviors are shaped by individuals' past experiences and perceptions, and that thoughts guide actions. Its main concepts include the individual, environment, care, health, and illness. Approaches based on health promotion models may strengthen women's ability to cope with symptoms related to urinary incontinence. In addition, the integration of internet-based tools and mobile applications into healthcare services plays an important role in supporting disease prevention, early detection, care, and treatment processes. These approaches facilitate access to healthcare services and enhance communication with healthcare professionals. This study aims to evaluate the effects of education and counseling delivered through a mobile application based on a health promotion model on symptom severity, quality of life, and sleep quality in menopausal women with urinary incontinence.