Old age can be accompanied by various tensions and challenges stemming from physiological or pathological changes in individuals [1]. Urinary incontinence is one of the changes that can influence various aspects of the older adult’s lives and finally culminate in a reduction in their quality of life [2].

The International Continence Society (ICS) defines an individual with urinary incontinence disorder if they have involuntary urinary leakage [3]. Urinary incontinence occurs in both men and women, but urinary leakage in women has been reported to be twice as much as in men [4]. According to a meta-analysis, the global prevalence of urinary incontinence in older women is approximately 37.1 %. Furthermore, a study conducted in Middle Eastern countries reported a prevalence of 52 % for urinary incontinence. However, it should be noted that in some societies, urinary incontinence carries a social stigma, and the actual prevalence of this disorder may be higher than reported in studies [5].

Although urinary incontinence is not considered a life-threatening status [6], it can gradually reduce older adult’s self-confidence and self-esteem [7] and negatively affect many aspects of their lives [6], [8], [9], [10], [11]. Therefore, delayed treatment of this disorder can reduce the older’s quality of daily life [12].

Non-surgical treatments are recommended today by the European Association of Urology (EAU) and the American College of Physicians (ACP) as the primary treatment for urinary incontinence [13], [14] because urinary catheterization and the use of artificial urinary sphincters in surgeries can result in complications such as atrophy, erosion, and tract infection [15]. Numerous complications have been reported in studies on drugs used in the treatment of urinary incontinence. In other words, the therapeutic effect of modern medicine in the treatment of urinary incontinence does not appear ideal, and it is necessary to seek efficient and cost-effective treatment methods [16], [17].

Acupressure is known as one of the most common complementary and alternative treatment methods in East Asia and the Pacific region [18]. According to the theory of Chinese medicine, by stimulating these points using hand or other methods [19], [20], the nerves and efferent neurons in that area are stimulated and send the received message to the parts of the brain (cortex, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland) through the spinal canals [21]. Acupressure points are scattered across the body, but most of them are located along the 12 bilateral meridians and the two middle channels, i.e., the Du and Rens [22]. Oriental medicine believes that urinary incontinence is related to the lack of “Qi” in the kidney and spleen, which affects the bladder, decreases the tone of pelvic muscles, and eventually leads to urinary leakage [23]. By stimulating the intended points by creating pressure, the life energy of “Qi” streams into the blood vessels. After regulating the blood circulation of “Qi” in the body [24], problems in the health of the genitourinary organs are reduced, and the functions of the related organs are reinforced [25], [26].

Given that the WHO has highlighted the lack of precise research on complementary and alternative medicine, and a nurse who facilitates the use of such medicine and has the right to practice and use it in theory and practice is considered professional, this profession is accountable for gathering evidence and documents that indicate the effectiveness of complementary medicine as interventions in the field of nursing [27], [28]. Hence, considering that the use of acupressure is non-invasive and non-pharmacological [29] and is a priority to solve the issues of clients, particularly older adult, and there is no study on the effect of acupressure on urinary incontinence [30] in older, this study was designed and implemented based on the hypothesis that acupressure positively affects the severity of urinary incontinence in older women.