Symptom Bother, Physical and Mental Stress, and Health-related Quality of Life in Women with Overactive Bladder Syndrome.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the relationships among symptom bother, physical and mental stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome.

Methods: The participants were 106 women who were diagnosed with OAB (urgency, urge urinary incontinence, frequency, and/or nocturia) at P university hospital. Data were collected from Dec 23, 2011 to Aug 31, 2012.

Results: The mean score for symptom bother was 43.1 points, for physical stress, 12.8 which was slightly higher than mental stress (11.8), and for HRQoL, 63.9. For symptom type, there were statistically significant differences in the symptom bother (F=8.67, p<.001) and HRQL (F=3.32, p= .023). The Symptom bother of OAB was positively correlated with physical stress (r=.23, p= .014) and mental stress (r=.33, p<.001) and negatively correlated with the subscales of HRQoL; coping (r=-.66, p<.001), concern (r=-.71, p<.001), sleep (r=-.59, p<.001), and social interaction (r=-.58, p<.001).

Conclusion: From the results, bother symptom was associated with physical, mental stress and HRQoL. These results suggest that nursing intervention programs for OAB should be developed not only to relieve the symptoms but also to reduce stress and improve the quality of life.