The potential role of social determinants in explaining the connections between socioeconomic situations and health is attracting much attention. Having an overactive bladder is a significant problem for public health in the United States. The purpose of this big cross-sectional study was to examine the possible association between an overactive bladder and social isolation. Adults from the local community were polled via online surveys on their health, lifestyle, and social requirements. The relationship between an overactive bladder and various unfulfilled social demands was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. The mean±standard deviation for the age of the 3,617 individuals was 47.9 ±17.3 years. Females made up the largest demographic at 77.6%, with White non-Hispanics making up 83.5%. Out of 1,391 individuals, 38.5% were diagnosed with overactive bladder. Lack of social support, housing insecurity, food insecurity, utility worries, transportation issues, missed medical visits, the need for legal assistance, relationship strain, and concerns over bathroom access and plumbing were all linked to the existence of an overactive bladder. All correlations between overactive bladder and social needs persisted after controlling for several factors in a multivariate analysis. This study found that patients with overactive bladder also had multiple unmet social needs, which may have important implications for the treatment of these patients. Consideration of these unmet social needs of patients is crucial, since bringing them to light and attempting to meet them may enhance the care of people with overactive bladder.
Source: auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000002841
