Potential benefits of diagnosis and treatment on health outcomes among elderly people with symptoms of overactive bladder

OBJECTIVES: This study examined potential benefits of diagnosing and treating elderly adults with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. METHODS: Data were analysed from the OAB Re‐Contact Study (N = 2750), a cross‐sectional, self‐reported Internet survey. Elderly respondents (65+ years old) with OAB were identified according to current medication use to control OAB symptoms or by scores > 14 (men) or > 16 (women) on the OAB Awareness Tool. Treated were those currently using prescription medication and never treated were those who never used prescription medication for OAB. Outcome measures included health‐related quality of life, activity impairment, OAB‐related severity and symptoms, and healthcare resource use (e.g. hospitalisations). Generalised linear models predicted health outcomes as a function of diagnosis or treatment, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Diagnosed vs. not diagnosed elderly respondents had higher mental component summary (MCS) scores and SF‐6D health utilities, and less activity impairment. Treated vs. never treated elderly respondents had higher MCS and SF‐6D health utilities, less activity impairment, fewer OAB symptoms, lower OAB Awareness Tool scores, and lower odds of having bladder problems or incontinence. There were no significant differences in healthcare resource use. Further analysis by age group (middle‐aged vs. elderly respondents) revealed significantly greater diagnosis‐ and treatment‐related benefits on MCS (2.93 and 4.49 points more, respectively) and activity impairment (1.24 and 1.37 times as much, respectively) among elderly respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis and treatment were each associated with a lower health burden for elderly adults with OAB symptoms. These findings highlighted the importance of diagnosis and treatment in alleviating OAB symptoms and their impact on health outcomes.