Social barriers to the uptake of and participation in urinary incontinence exercise groups in Jordanian women: A cross-sectional exploratory study

Considering the high prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in men and women, and its negative impacts specifically on women, UI affects women’s quality of life, which might have a subsequent impact on their physical, emotional, and social well-being. There is a lack of healthcare management, specifically physiotherapy for UI in women living in Jordan. The aim of this study was to explore Jordanian women’s experiences of UI physiotherapy management and the social barriers that may restrict participation in UI physiotherapy management among Jordanian women. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the experiences of and barriers to participation in UI physiotherapy management among women who attended gynecology clinics during or after pregnancy in Jordan. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of 16 women, between 6-10 months postpartum, completed the interviews. Two themes were identified from the interview data: social barriers to participation in physiotherapy treatment and poor quality of life due to incontinence. Examples of social barriers identified include shame in declaring UI, intimate sexual relationships, and a sense of low self-esteem. Examples of poor quality of life include the inability to work, poor household management, and limited physical activities and exercises. In conclusion, UI might affect different aspects of quality of life in Jordanian women who suffer from UI. This includes work restrictions, household responsibilities, driving, and exercise. In addition, this study reported that Jordanian women with UI are socially restricted from participating in UI physiotherapy management. Therefore, suggested action points were proposed to overcome these restrictions.