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One in Six over 40 Has Overactive Bladders, Says
European Study
Jan. 16, 2006 A new study of 11,521 people aged
40 through 64 in Europe indicates one in six of these boomers and older
people suffers with overactive bladders (OAB). Three-quarters say their
condition makes it difficult to perform daily activities, yet only 43
percent would consider consulting a doctor.
(Read
about Urinary Incontinence in the US below.)
Men are much more likely to express concern than
women, according to the results of a large-scale study published in the
latest issue of BJU International.
This survey was conducted in six European countries
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
At least 300 people with OAB which affects an
estimated one in six Europeans over 40 - were identified and interviewed
in each country.
Symptoms of OAB include the need to empty the
bladder urgently and more frequently during the day and night. Some
people may also have the added problem of incontinence.
"32 per cent of the people interviewed said that
their condition made them depressed and 28 per cent reported feeling
stressed" says lead researcher Debra E Irwin from the School of Public
Health at the University of North Carolina.
"Yet 48 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men
felt that it was not a valid medical condition."
Other key findings included:
● 28 per cent of women and 19 per cent of men said
that OAB was ignored by the medical community.
● 79 per cent of men and 74 per cent of women felt
that OAB was just something they had to live with and 76 per cent of men
and 67 per cent of women saw it as part of the normal ageing process.
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Urinary Incontinence in US |
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From National Institute
on Aging
At least 1 in 10 senior
citizens age 65 or older has this problem. Symptoms can range
from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. Women are more
likely than men to have incontinence.
Aging does not cause
incontinence.
In most cases urinary
incontinence can be treated and controlled, if not cured.
There are several different
types of urinary incontinence:
● Stress incontinence happens
when urine leaks during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing,
lifting heavy objects, or other body movements that put pressure
on the bladder. It is the most common type of bladder control
problem in younger and middle-age women. In some cases it is
related to childbirth. It may also begin around the time of
menopause.
● Urge incontinence happens
when people cant hold their urine long enough to get to the
toilet in time. Healthy people can have urge incontinence, but
it is often found in people who have diabetes, stroke,
Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, or multiple sclerosis.
It is also sometimes an early sign of bladder cancer.
● Overflow incontinence
happens when small amounts of urine leak from a bladder that is
always full. A man can have trouble emptying his bladder if an
enlarged prostate is blocking the urethra. Diabetes and spinal
cord injury can also cause this type of incontinence.
● Functional incontinence
happens in many older people who have normal bladder control.
They just have a hard time getting to the toilet in time because
of arthritis or other disorders that make moving quickly
difficult.
For more information:
●
National Institute on Aging Urinary Incontinence
●
National Association for Continence
●
Simon Foundation for Continence
●
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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● OAB had a negative impact on people's working
lives, with 21 per cent concerned about interrupting meetings with
frequent trips to the toilet and three per cent reporting that they had
changed jobs or been fired because of the condition.
● It also affected people's social lives. 28 per
cent felt uncomfortable doing things away from home, 22 per cent of
people said that OAB made them feel uncomfortable with people they
didn't know and 20 per cent felt uncomfortable with people they did
know.
● People who experienced incontinence in addition
to OAB reported much higher levels of distress and concern about work
and social issues than people who didn't have that added problem.
"It's clear that OAB, whether it's with or without
incontinence, has a significant effect on people's lives, including
negative effects on their emotional well-being and their ability to feel
at ease at work or in social situations" says Dr Irwin, whose co-authors
included experts from American, Sweden and the UK.
"OAB is a very common condition, affecting more
than 22 million Europeans over the age of 40, yet few people seek
medical help.
"Our findings indicate that there is considerable
scope for improving how doctors diagnose and treat this condition and
for encouraging people with OAB to seek medical care."
About information source
Impact of overactive bladder symptoms on
employment, social interaction and emotional well-being in six European
countries. Debra E Irwin (University of North Carolina, USA), Ian Milsom
(Goteborg University, Sweden), Zoe Kopp, (Pfizer Inc, New York, USA);
Paul Abrams (Bristol Urological Institute, UK) and Linda Cardozo (King's
College Hospital, London, UK.) BJU International. Volume 97. Pages
96-100.
Established in 1929, BJU International is published
12 times a year by Blackwell Publishing and edited by Professor John
Fitzpatrick from University College Dublin, Ireland. It provides its
international readership with invaluable practical information on all
aspects of urology, including original and investigative articles and
illustrated surgery.
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