# Bridging Clinical Care and Self-Management: Impact of Nursing Module Based on WHO’s Universal Self-Care Framework in Women with Endometriosis

**Authors:** Hajer I. Motakef, Niven Basyouni, Salam Bani Hani, Emran A. Abu Aqoulah, Bahia Galal Abd Elrazik Siam, Soha Kamel Mosbah Mahmoud, Layla Salem Alshammari, Elham Saeed Abdo Moqbel, Isis Emile Gohar, Zainh I. Motakef, Fatima Diab, Mokhtar A. Almoliky, Bushra Alshammari, Awatif Alrasheeday

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14050664 · 2026-03-06

## TL;DR

A nursing-led self-care program based on WHO guidelines significantly improved self-care and reduced symptoms in women with endometriosis.

## Contribution

This study introduces a structured, nursing-led self-care module based on WHO’s framework for endometriosis management.

## Key findings

- The study group showed significantly higher self-care scores than the control group at one and three months.
- Improved self-care was strongly associated with reduced symptom severity over time.
- Nursing-led self-care interventions can enhance self-management and quality of life for women with endometriosis.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?
At one month, the study group showed significantly higher self-care scores than the control group (69.2 ± 11.6 vs. 58.3 ± 8.83; p = 0.001).At three months, self-care practices further improved in the study group compared with the control group (76.4 ± 16.5 vs. 61.5 ± 12.2; p = 0.001).A strong negative correlation was observed between self-care and symptom severity at one month (r = −0.70, p < 0.001).This negative correlation was even stronger at three months (r = −0.83, p < 0.001), indicating that better self-care was associated with reduced symptoms.

At one month, the study group showed significantly higher self-care scores than the control group (69.2 ± 11.6 vs. 58.3 ± 8.83; p = 0.001).

At three months, self-care practices further improved in the study group compared with the control group (76.4 ± 16.5 vs. 61.5 ± 12.2; p = 0.001).

A strong negative correlation was observed between self-care and symptom severity at one month (r = −0.70, p < 0.001).

This negative correlation was even stronger at three months (r = −0.83, p < 0.001), indicating that better self-care was associated with reduced symptoms.

What are the implications of the main findings?
The findings will address inadequate self-care compliance and persistent pain among women with endometriosis, alongside the limited use of structured, nursing-led self-care interventions in routine care.The findings will impact gynecological and nursing practice settings, particularly benefiting women with endometriosis by enhancing self-management, pain control, and quality of life through nursing-led care models.

The findings will address inadequate self-care compliance and persistent pain among women with endometriosis, alongside the limited use of structured, nursing-led self-care interventions in routine care.

The findings will impact gynecological and nursing practice settings, particularly benefiting women with endometriosis by enhancing self-management, pain control, and quality of life through nursing-led care models.

Aims: This study aims to assess the effect of a structured universal self-care practices module on improving self-care compliance and health maintenance behaviors among women with endometriosis, and to determine if it reduces pain severity. Design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Methods: A total of 90 women confirmed a diagnosis of endometriosis, who were free from any chronic medical or gynecological comorbidities, and who had not received any pain relief pharmacological interventions. Results: The study and control groups were comparable at baseline regarding socio-demographic and clinical characteristics (p > 0.05). Following the intervention, the study group demonstrated significant improvements in universal self-care practices compared to the control group at one month (M = 69.2 ± 11.6 vs. 58.3 ± 8.83; t = −4.93, p = 0.001) and three months (M = 76.4 ± 16.5 vs. 61.5 ± 12.2; t = −4.89, p = 0.001). A strong negative correlation was found between self-care and symptom severity at one month (r = −0.70, p < 0.001) and three months (r = −0.83, p < 0.001), indicating that improved self-care was associated with reduced symptoms. Conclusions: This study highlights the vital role of nursing-led, WHO-based self-care interventions in improving compliance and reducing pain among women with endometriosis. Integrating such programs into routine care can enhance self-management and overall quality of life. Patient or Public Contribution: Integrating individualized, nursing-led self-care programs into routine endometriosis management can improve symptom control through ongoing education and follow-up. Nurses play a pivotal role in empowering women’s self-management, while adopting the WHO Universal Self-Care Framework can strengthen gynecological care policies and practices.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** endometriosis (MONDO:0005133)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** pain (MESH:D010146), Endometriosis (MESH:D004715)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12984083/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12984083