Effectiveness of an Interventional Package on Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength among Women with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Aim and Objective: Assess the effectiveness of an interventional package on pelvic floor muscle strength among women with pelvic floor dysfunction at selected rural community - India.

Methodology: A Quantitative research approach with true experimental design was used for the study, Women between 3 months to 1 year post-delivery status either with urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, pelvic organ prolapses, pelvic pain or dyspareunia in the 26 selected villages which comprised a total of 424 women. Pelvic floor dysfunction was assessed using pelvic floor distress inventory scale. Muscle strength was assessed by per vaginal examination by the investigator and graded using modified Oxford grading scale. Pelvic floor muscle strength was assessed under 5 categories such as Power, Endurance, Repetitions, fast contraction and every timed contraction. Video assisted teaching, demonstration and return demonstration techniques provided by the investigator to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle

Result: Women in the experimental group reported good pelvic floor muscle strength in the post test with mean score of 15.81 while women in control group had mean score of 9.52. There was significant improvement noted in all the components of pelvic floor muscle strength such as power, endurance, repetitions, fast contractions and timed contraction scores among women in the experimental group.

Conclusion: Pelvic floor dysfunction causes a lot of burden among the women and studies have showed a trend of increasing prevalence. Community based nursing interventions are very much needed to prevent women from encountering pelvic floor dysfunction which will significantly improve their quality of life.