title: Health-related Quality of Life and Mental Health in Adolescents and Adults Operated for Bladder Exstrophy and Epispadias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychiatric symptom aspects in patients with bladder exstrophy and epispadias.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two adolescents or adults operated for BEE were mailed questionnaires evaluating HRQoL (RAND-36 questionnaire) and psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90 questionnaire). Thirty-two patients with a median age of 28 years responded. The results were compared with national reference values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, RAND-36 scores and SCL-90 scores were comparable in the patients and the referral population. However, 7 patients (21%) had high SCL-90 scores, suggesting mental health problems. The patients with unsatisfactory genital appearance, urinary incontinence, or bladder augmentation tended to have poorer HRQoL and psychiatric symptom scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most adults with BEE have satisfactory HRQoL and mental health. However, a possible mental health problem can be found in one-fifth of the patients. Abnormal genitalia and bladder function may have a negative effect on HRQoL and mental health. Bladder augmentation is not associated with better outcome than mild incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: seppo.taskinen@hus.fi.
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taskinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Janne S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suominen
authors.affiliation: Gender Identity Unit, Department of Adult Psychiatry, University Hospital of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Aino K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mattila
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001746:Bladder Exstrophy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004842:Epispadias / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult