Abstract
Objective: This study tried to explore gender differences in Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and disparities in adaptation strategies used to cope with LUTS. Materials and Methods: From July 2013 to December 2013, 184 consecutive patients who came to a tertiary center seeking medical treatment for LUTS including stress urinary incontinence (SUI), overactive bladder (OAB), and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) were recruited in this study. OABSS, IPSS and UDI-6 were used to evaluate severities of these symptoms and IIQ-7 was used to measure the impact of these three symptoms on the quality of life. Patients’ coping strategies were also compared to evaluate gender differences. Results: In total, 184 patients (81 men and 103 women) were recruited into this study. The LUTS between genders were significant. Women had significantly more SUI and MUI than that of men, but men had significantly more OAB. The LUTS in men seemed to have less impact on quality of life than in women. Preventive toileting use before going out, restricting fluid intake, or seeking treatment at primary care clinics were adaptive strategies used by both genders. However, one-third of the women used incontinence pads or performed pelvic floor exercises to prevent urine leakage and nearly one-fourth of the women avoided contact with cold water or performed urge strategies to control the urge to void. Conclusions: Gender differences in LUTS are significant. Similar LUTS also result in different impact on men and women. Women used more coping strategies than men to handle their bothersome LUTS.
Highlights
In the late nineteen century, most large population surveys focused on urinary incontinence in women and lower urinary tract dysfunction in men [1,2]
In 2005, Irwin et al conducted a large population-based, cross-sectional survey in Canada, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom using the 2002 International Continence Society (ICS) definitions and used computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), overactive bladder (OAB), and other lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) among men and women
A set of validated Mandarin questionnaires including the Chinese version of Overactive Bladder Severity Score (OABSS) [22], International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), short form Urogenital Distress Index (UDI-6) [23] and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7) [23,24] were derived from the Taiwanese Continence Society (TCS) website which were used to survey the epidemiology of LUTS and have been used in this study [25]
Summary
In the late nineteen century, most large population surveys focused on urinary incontinence in women and lower urinary tract dysfunction in men [1,2]. In 2005, Irwin et al conducted a large population-based, cross-sectional survey in Canada, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom using the 2002 ICS definitions and used computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of SUI, OAB, and other LUTS among men and women. They found that 64.3% reported at least one LUTS. Reeves et al estimated the current and future burden and cost of OAB in five European countries and revealed that OAB is prevalent and its overall burden in health care services would increase in the future in line with aging populations [11]
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