J Korean Acad Fundam Nurs.  2024 May;31(2):203-213. 10.7739/jkafn.2024.31.2.203.

The Effect of Auricular Acupressure on Urinary Incontinence, Quality of Life, and Sleep Quality in Elderly Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence

• Kim Y
• Park H

• KMID: 2556991
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7739/jkafn.2024.31.2.203

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on the severity of urinary incontinence, quality of life, and sleep quality in elderly women with stress urinary incontinence
Methods
This single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study included 53 subjects. The participants were elderly women with stress urinary incontinence. The experimental period was a total of 6 weeks, and four different acupressure sites were applied for each group; the experimental group (n=27) received auricular acupressure on the kidney, bladder, central rim, anterior lobe, whereas the placebo-control group (n=26) received acupressure on the wrist, elbow, helix 2, and helix 3. In order to examine the effects of the auricular acupressure intervention, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were measured before and after the intervention.
Results
The ICIQ-UI SF scores and the PSQI scores in the experimental group with auricular acupressure significantly decreased after 6 weeks (p<.001) compared with the scores of the placebo-control group. The I-QOL scores in the experimental group significantly increased after 6 weeks (p<.001) compared with the scores of the placebo-control group.
Conclusion
Auricular acupressure was effective for mitigating the severity of urinary incontinence and improving the quality of life and sleep after 6 weeks. Therefore, auricular acupressure can be used as a non-pharmacological nursing intervention for elderly women with stress urinary incontinence.

Keyword

Acupressure; Aged; Quality of life; Sleep; Urinary Incontinence; 이압요법; 요실금; 노인; 삶의 질; 수면