Abstract: PD44-06
Sources of Funding: None

Introduction

Female lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) affect quality of life and sexual activity. This study aimed to evaluate the influences of LUTS on sexual well-being in Japanese women, as little is known on this topic.

Methods

We investigated 514 women recruited between August 6 and August 17, 2007, from the outpatient departments (except the departments of pediatrics, psychiatry and ophthalmology) at our hospital, regardless of the reason for visiting._x000D_ All participants were asked to answer a standardized self-reported questionnaire. Using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and the overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS), we evaluated urinary symptoms, including stress urinary incontinence, urgency, day time frequency, and nocturia._x000D_ To assess satisfaction with sexual function, we asked the question "If you were to spend the rest of your life with your sexual function the way it is today, how would you feel about this?", with answer choices of "very satisfied", "somewhat satisfied", "neither satisfied nor dissatisfied", "somewhat dissatisfied" and "very dissatisfied", from part of a questionnaire from the Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors (GSSAB) study. The top two categories for each aspect were collapsed to identify positive answers as being very or somewhat satisfied with the level of sexual function._x000D_ We analyzed relationships between dissatisfaction with sexual function and other variables, including age, stress urinary incontinence, urgency (? once a day), daytime frequency (≥8 times/day), and nocturia (? once a night). The chi-square test and logistic regression models were used for statistical analyses. Values of P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 360 individuals completed the questionnaire (response rate, 70.0%). The mean (±standard deviation) age of respondents was 48.3 ± 13.2 years. Prevalences of stress urinary incontinence, urgency, daytime frequency, and nocturia were 35.4%, 3.1%, 39.6%, and 55.0%, respectively. Overall, the prevalence of dissatisfaction with sexual function was 55.4%. In univariate analysis, age, urgency, and nocturia were associated with dissatisfaction with sexual function. In multivariate analysis, a significant correlation was found between dissatisfaction with sexual function and both age (odds ratio (OR), 1.05; p<0.001) and urgency (OR, 9.19; p=0.047).

Conclusions

Our study confirmed age and urgency as independent risk factors for dissatisfaction with sexual function. These results suggest that urgency can offer a predictor of sexual dysfunction among Japanese women.

Funding

None