Ece Kaplan Doğan, Kazım Doğan
Background: Women's awareness and health beliefs regarding urinary incontinence (UI) and Kegel exercises may influence both symptom management and broader lifestyle behaviors. This study examined associations between women's health beliefs about and awareness of UI and Kegel exercises and healthy and sustainable lifestyle behaviors. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included 627 women aged ≥18 years. Data were collected using scales: the Health Belief Scale for Urinary Incontinence and Kegel Exercise (UIKE-HBS), the Urinary Incontinence Awareness and Attitude Scale (UIAAS), and the Healthy and Sustainable Lifestyle Scale (HSLS). Relationships were analyzed using bivariate correlations and hierarchical regression. Results: UI was reported by 13.7%, and 35.4% had prior Kegel exercise experience. In bivariate analyses, HSLS total score positively correlated with UIKE-HBS Health Motivation, Perceived Benefits, and Self-Efficacy (all p < 0.001). In hierarchical regression, covariates explained 5.0% of HSLS variance (R2 = 0.050). Adding eleven subscales significantly increased explained variance by 23.6% (ΔR2 = 0.236, p < 0.001; total R2 = 0.286). In the fully adjusted model, UIKE-HBS Health Motivation (β = 0.317, p < 0.001), UIAAS Restriction (β = 0.147, p = 0.003), UIAAS Accepting Incontinence (β = 0.142, p = 0.001) and prior Kegel experience (β = 0.091, p = 0.032) emerged as significant independent predictors of HSLS scores. Self-Efficacy and Perceived Benefits were not independently significant in the final model (p > 0.05). Conclusions: UI was reported by a notable proportion of young women, while engagement in preventive pelvic floor exercises remains limited. Health motivation serves as the primary independent predictor in adjusted models. Interventions targeting health belief constructs specifically enhancing health motivation alongside addressing lifestyle restrictions and acceptance may most effectively foster healthy and sustainable lifestyle behaviors.