In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports , researchers in China examined the trends and prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) among adult men in the United States of America (US) from 2005 to 2020. They found that the overall prevalence of OAB in US adult men increased from 11.3% in 2005–2008 to 14.
5% in 2015–2020 and showed significant associations with factors such as age, race, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Study: Prevalence and trends in overactive bladder among men in the United States, 2005–2020 . Image Credit: staras / Shutterstock OAB significantly affects the quality of life, physical health, and mental health of men and women.
It is associated with substantial economic burdens. Characterized by symptoms such as urinary urgency, increased frequency, nocturia, and sometimes urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), OAB's prevalence varies globally. The EPIC (short for European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study estimated an 11.
8% prevalence in five countries, while the OAB-POLL study found an 8% prevalence in US men and 20% in US women. Prevalence rates in Asia and China were reported to be 20.8% and 23.
9%, respectively. Variations in prevalence are due to geographic distribution, epidemiological methods, study designs, and definitions. Factors like age, lifestyle, nutritional status, socioeconomic status, and comorbidities are also hypothesized to be associated with OAB, though its pathogenesis remains .
