The effect of hyperactive bladder severity on healthcare utilization and labor productivity.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between the severity of urinary urge incontinence (UUI) on healthcare resources utilization (HRU) and loss of labor productivity of subjects with overactive bladder (OAB) in the general population in Spain.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional web-based study conducted in the general population >18 years, through a battery of HRU questions asked using an online method. Probable OAB subjects were identified using a previously validated algorithm and a score >8 in the OAB-V8 questionnaire. HRU questions included an assessment of concomitant medication used as a consequence of OAB/UUI, pad utilization, and medical office visits. Patients were grouped according to the number of UUI episodes into 0, 1, 2-3 or 4+ episodes.


RESULTS
Of a total of 2,035 subjects participating from the general population, 396 patients [52.5% women, mean age: 55.3 (11.1) years, OAB-V8 mean score: 14.5 (7.9)] were analyzed; 203 (51.3%) with 0 episodes, 119 (30.1%) with 1, 52 (13.1%) with 2 or 3, and 22 (5.6%) with 4 or more episodes. A linear and significant adjusted association was observed between the number of UUI episodes and HRU; the higher the number of daily episodes the higher the HRU. Subjects with more episodes had medical visits more frequently at the primary care (P = .001) and specialist (P = .009) level as well. Consumption of day (P < .001) and night (P < .001) urinary absorbents, anxiolytic medicines (P = .021) and antibiotics (P = .05) was higher in patients with more UUI episodes.


CONCLUSIONS
The severity of OAB in terms of frequency of daily urge incontinence episodes was significantly and linearly associated with higher healthcare resources utilization and a decrease in labor productivity in subjects with probable OAB in Spain.
Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Getafe, Madrid, España. Electronic address: javier.angulo@salud.madrid.org.
J C
JC
Angulo
Centro de Atención Primaria Llefià, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
F J
FJ
Brenes
Economía e Investigación de Resultados en Salud, oYs Integra, Madrid, España.
D
D
Ochayta
Unidad Médica, Pfizer SLU, Alcobendas, Madrid, España.
I
I
Lizarraga
Unidad Médica, Pfizer Europe, Alcobendas, Madrid, España.
D
D
Arumí
Unidad Médica, Pfizer SLU, Alcobendas, Madrid, España.
S
S
Trillo
Departamento de Economía e Investigación de Resultados de Salud, Pfizer SLU, Alcobendas, Madrid, España.
J
J
Rejas
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D053202:Urinary Incontinence, Urge / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
Community; Comunidad; España; Healthcare resources utilization; Incontinencia urinaria de urgencia; Overactive bladder; Severidad; Severity; Spain; Urinary urge incontinence; Uso de recursos sanitarios; Vejiga hiperactiva