Table 2.
Baseline characteristics of study participants.
| Characteristic | Treatment group (n=60) | Information group (n=63) | ||||
| General information | ||||||
|
|
Age in years, mean (SD) | 58.9 (9.2) | 57.7 (9.9) | |||
|
|
BMI in kg/m2, mean (SD) | 26.5 (3.6) | 25.9 (5.2) | |||
|
|
University education ≥3 years, n (%) | 44 (73.3) | 35 (55.6) | |||
|
|
Self-rated knowledge in using computers or tablets (1-4 pointsa), mean (SD) | 3.5 (0.6) | 3.4 (0.6) | |||
|
|
eHEALSb score, mean (SD) | 32.9 (5.6) | 33.8 (4.5) | |||
| Lifestyle | ||||||
|
|
Physical activity >3 hours/week, n (%) | 33 (55.0) | 40 (63.5) | |||
|
|
Smokerc, n (%) | 1 (1.7) | 2 (3.2) | |||
|
|
Coffee consumption ≥5 cups/day, n (%) | 7 (11.7) | 10 (15.9) | |||
|
|
Tea consumption ≥5 cups/day, n (%) | 4 (6.7) | 2 (3.2) | |||
|
|
Often or always constipated, n (%) | 6 (10) | 3 (4.8) | |||
| Gynecology | ||||||
|
|
Parity, n (%) | |||||
|
|
0 | 8 (13.3) | 7 (11.1) | |||
|
|
1 | 4 (6.7) | 7 (11.1) | |||
|
|
≥2 | 48 (80) | 49 (77.8) | |||
|
|
Postmenopausal >1 year, n (%) | 42 (70) | 47 (74.6) | |||
|
|
Current estrogen usage, n (%) | |||||
|
|
Local estrogen | 11 (18.3) | 13 (20.6) | |||
|
|
Systemic estrogen | 1 (1.7) | 1 (1.6) | |||
|
|
Gynecological surgery, n (%) | |||||
|
|
Hysterectomy | 4 (6.7) | 7 (11.1) | |||
|
|
Prolapse surgery | 3 (5) | 0 (0) | |||
|
|
Incontinence surgeryd | 3 (5) | 3 (4.8) | |||
| Urinary incontinence | ||||||
|
|
Symptom diagnosis, n (%) | |||||
|
|
Mixed urinary incontinence | 45 (75) | 43 (68.3) | |||
|
|
Urgency urinary incontinence | 15 (25) | 20 (31.7) | |||
|
|
Duration of symptoms >5 years, n (%) | 37 (61.7) | 38 (60.3) | |||
|
|
Previous health care contact for incontinence symptoms, n (%) | 19 (31.7) | 19 (30.2) | |||
|
|
ICIQ-UI SFe score, mean (SD) | 11.7 (3.5) | 11.4 (3.2) | |||
|
|
IEFf per week, mean (SD)g | 21.8 (16.8) | 21.1 (13.7) | |||
aA higher score indicates higher self-perceived knowledge.
beHEALS: eHealth Literacy Scale, a self-reported 8-item scale assessing an individual’s ability to identify, evaluate, and use eHealth resources.
cNo daily smokers, only weekly smokers, participated in the study.
dParticipants who had undergone incontinence surgery in the last 5 years were not included in the study.
eICIQ-UI SF: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire−Urinary Incontinence Short Form.
fIEF: incontinence episode frequency.
gMean (SD) values presented to facilitate comparison with other populations.