Psychosocial Predictors of Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Bother in Black Men: The Flint Men's Health Study

Abstract

Despite the importance of lower urinary tract symptom related bother to health related quality of life and treatment use little is known about factors contributing to perceived bother. We examined associations between several psychosocial measures and lower urinary tract symptom related bother in a population based sample of black men. In 1996, 361 black men 40 to 79 years old from Genesee County, Michigan with no history of prostate cancer/surgery provided information on lower urinary tract symptom bother and several psychosocial factors, including perceived stress, social support, stressful life events, and self-rated physical and emotional health. Associations between these factors and perceived bother were examined, controlling for age and lower urinary tract symptom severity. Overall 39.3% of men reported moderate/severe lower urinary tract symptom related bother. Men with poor emotional health and low social support were 2.25 (95% CI 1.05, 4.85) and 2.89 (95% CI 1.14, 7.35) times more likely to report moderate and severe bother, respectively. No other psychosocial factors significantly impacted bother after adjusting for age and lower urinary tract symptom severity. In this population based study of black men poor emotional health and low social support were significantly associated with moderate/severe lower urinary tract symptom related bother after adjusting for age and lower urinary tract symptom severity, supporting the notion that urinary bother measures may capture somatic and psychological distress. These findings suggest that treating lower urinary tract symptoms alone may not completely ameliorate urinary bother if underlying emotional health and social support problems are not addressed. Further studies are warranted in racially diverse populations.