Work Productivity Associated With Treated Versus Never-Treated Overactive Bladder Symptoms

Objectives: To assess the impact of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms on work productivity and daily activities, and estimate the annual costs of OAB-related work productivity impairment in currently treated versus never-treated subjects.Study Design: A self-administered, Internet-based survey of US adults with OAB symptoms.Methods: Of 24,866 screened adults in the 2009 National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS), 2887 qualified for a follow-up OAB survey, with 2750 completing all survey questionnaires. Multivariate analyses were used to identify significant predictors of OAB-related work productivity and daily activity impairment.Results: Of 2750 respondents, 1171 were classified as OAB-treated (receiving prescription therapy; n = 549) or OAB-untreated (never treated; n = 622). Lack of OAB prescription treatment, younger age, male sex, unemployment, nonsingle marital status, and increased OAB symptom count and bother were significant (P < .03) predictors of impaired daily activity in multivariate analyses. Among 476 respondents who were employed (193 OAB-treated; 283 OAB-untreated), absenteeism was significantly associated with younger age, male sex, and black ethnicity ( P <. 04); overall work productivity impairment was associated with lack of OAB treatment, younger age, male sex, and increased OAB symptom count and bother ( P <. 01). Estimated annual costs (2009 US dollars) associated with OAB-related work impairment were $9670 for OAB-treated subjects versus $17,477 for OAB-untreated subjects.Conclusions: OAB can cause impairments in daily activity and work productivity, especially among younger untreated subjects. Annual costs of OAB-related work productivity impairment are nearly twice as high for never-treated versus currently treated subjects.