To estimate symptom bother and health care seeking among individuals with overactive bladder (OAB; ie, cases) using current International Continence Society definitions.
This was a nested case-controlled analysis of data from the EPIC study, a population-based, cross-sectional survey of adults in five countries. Cases and matched controls were asked about risk factors, use of coping techniques, and health care seeking for urinary symptoms. Cases were asked about symptom bother and assessed with the Overactive Bladder-Validated 8 and Patient Perception of Bladder Condition instruments.
Among cases (n=1434), 54% reported symptom bother; rates were similar between men (54%) and women (53%). Significantly more men with urinary incontinence (UI) reported bother (77%) than women with UI (67%; p