Browsing by Author "Goksuluk, Merve Basol"

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Citation - Scopus: 1
Investigating the Effectiveness of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training, Including Sensor-Based Diaphragm Exercises in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence: a Randomized Controlled Study
(W.B. Saunders, 2026-03) Yakıt Yeşilyurt, S.; Şahiner Pıçak, G.; Başol Göksülük, M.; Balıkoğlu, M.; Özengin, N.; Picak, Gonca Sahiner; Goksuluk, Merve Basol; Yesilyurt, Seda Yakit
Objective: To compare the effects of pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) combined with standard diaphragm exercises and 360° expanded diaphragm exercises on urinary symptoms, pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function, and respiratory function in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Design: Randomized controlled study. Setting: The study conducted between November 2023 and 2024. Participants: Women with SUI (n=74). Interventions: Participants were randomly allocated into 2 groups: (1) PFME + standard diaphragm (n=37) and (2) PFME + 360° expanded diaphragm exercises (n=37). The 360° exercises were taught using 2 sensor-based biofeedback devices. Both groups completed an 8-week program with weekly sessions. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was precontraction of the PFM. Secondary outcomes included the Incontinence Severity Index, The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form, PFM, and respiratory functions [maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP)]. Results: The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the PFME + standard diaphragm (49.29±6.73y) and the PFME + 360° expanded diaphragm exercises groups (50.97±7.70y) were similar (P>.05). Before and after the 8-week exercise program, both groups showed significant improvement in PFM functions as well as in incontinence severity index, incontinence questionnaire-short form, and MIP and MEP values (P<.05). Additionally, the initiation time for PFM contraction during the Valsalva maneuver (precontraction of PFM) was reduced in the PFME + 360° expanded diaphragm exercises group after treatment (P=.010). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that PFME combined with various diaphragm exercises improved urinary symptoms and PFM function in women with SUI. Specifically, PFME with 360° expansion diaphragm exercises reduced the initiation time of PFM contraction during Valsalva. This approach may enhance PFME effectiveness in women with impaired precontraction ability. As this study focused only on women, future research should explore the efficacy of similar interventions in sex-diverse populations. © 2025 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
Investigation of Pelvic Floor Knowledge, Awareness and Healthcare Seeking in Women With Urinary Incontinence: a Cross-Sectional Study
(2024) Yakıt Yeşilyurt, Seda; Yıldız, Elif Duygu; İnal, Büşra; Ayaz Taş, Seda; Çankaya, Hatice; Başol Göksülük, Merve; Özengin, Nuriye; Goksuluk, Merve Basol; Yeşilyurt, Seda Yakıt; Duygu-yildiz, Elif; Taş, Seda Ayaz
Aim: Healthcare seeking by women with urinary incontinence is affected by many factors. However, the effect of pelvic floor awareness and knowledge on seeking health care is not clear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between pelvic floor awareness, urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic floor knowledge levels and healthcare seeking in women with incontinence. Methods: A total of 178 women, 96 incontinent and 82 continent, were included in the study. The presence of UI was evaluated with Incontinence Questionnaires (3IQ), incontinence knowledge level with the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire (PIKQ-UI), and pelvic floor knowledge with the Pelvic Floor Health Knowledge Quiz (PFHKQ). Pelvic floor awareness and treatment seeking were measured with open-ended questions compiled from the literature. The Mann Whitney U, Chi-square and Kruskal Wallis tests were used. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were significant differences between the PIKQ-UI scores of incontinent women who answered yes or no to questions about pelvic floor awareness (p<.05) and seeking health care (p=0.039). The PIKQ-UI scores of incontinent women were scores (p>0.05). A difference was observed in the purpose of seeking information about the pelvic floor between women with and without incontinence (p=0.002). Conclusions: The knowledge level of incontinent women with pelvic floor awareness and who seek health care was higher than that of incontinent women without pelvic floor awareness and who do not seek health care. Pelvic floor awareness in incontinent women may contribute to healthcare seeking and increase the level of knowledge about incontinence and pelvic floor. higher than those of continent women (p=0.033). Incontinent and continent women had similar PFHKQ
Self-Reported Urinary Incontinence Prevalence in Women with Versus Without Regular Structured Exercise: A Cross-Sectional Study
(Dokuz Eylül University Institute of Health Sciences, 2025-09-30) Goksuluk, Merve Basol; Yeşilyurt, Seda Yakıt; Olgun, Başak; Civelek, Buket; Erak, İlknur; Gürbüzer, Ezgi
Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare urinary incontinence (UI) between women with and without regular structured exercise habits. Material and Methods: A total of 184 women, including 92 with regular and structured exercise habits and 92 without, were included in this study conducted between May and December 2024. Reported UI (Global Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire), symptoms, and impact on quality of life (Incontinence Severity Index, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form) were assessed in all women. This study was conducted following the STROBE guidelines. Results: The prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a subtype of UI, was significantly higher in women without structured exercise habits (p=0.018). The average duration of exercise among women with regular exercise habits was 24 months (range 6–240), and 85% practiced Pilates. In addition, women with structured exercise habits had higher education levels (p<0.001), and a large proportion were employed as civil servants and retirees (p<0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). Conclusion: Women who engage in regular and structured exercise have a lower prevalence of SUI. Women with exercise habits tend to have higher education and socioeconomic levels, and the impact of incontinence on quality of life is less severe.
Turkish Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Barriers to Incontinence Care-Seeking Questionnaire
(Springer London Ltd, 2025-07-07) Yesilyurt, Seda Yakit; Hekimoglu, Hanife Busra; Goksuluk, Merve Basol; Gonzalez, Patricia Brihuega; Cankaya, Hatice; Ozengin, Nuriye; Brihuega González, Patricia; Başol Göksülük, Merve; Yakit Yeşilyurt, Seda
Introduction and HypothesisThis study was aimed at adapting, validating, and assessing the reliability of the Turkish version of the "Barriers to Incontinence Care-Seeking Questionnaire" (BICS-Q).MethodsOne hundred and forty-eight Turkish women with mild to moderate urinary incontinence (UI) was assessed. The adaptation process was conducted in alignment with the COSMIN guidelines: forward-backward translation, expert review, cultural adaptation, and a pilot study. For construct validity, items from the study by El-Azab and Shaaban, which measure barriers to seeking care for incontinence, were adapted to this self-reported questionnaire (BICS-Q), and their associations with the total score as well as the subscale scores of the questionnaire were evaluated. Cronbach's alpha was used for internal consistency, and the intraclass correlation (ICC) coefficient was estimated for test-retest reliability.ResultsThe psychometric analyses indicated that the Turkish BICS-Q has high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.846) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.854). Item analysis revealed that each item was significantly correlated with the total score, thereby confirming construct validity. It was also found that embarrassment, financial concerns, and low expectations from medical consultation were ranked as the most important barriers to treatment.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the applicability of the Turkish BICS-Q for both research and clinical purposes, emphasizing its role in identifying health care inequalities and guiding policy improvements for women with UI. The present validation study provides evidence that the Turkish BICS-Q is an appropriate tool for assessing barriers to incontinence care seeking that can be used to further research and interventions toward overcoming the barriers in Turkey.