Hypothesis / aims of study
OAB is a subjective based symptom that impaired the health related quality of life (HRQOL). Currently, there are numbers of OAB-specific questionnaires can assess symptoms but the results on urgency were inconstant and unpredictable. Recently Overactive Bladder Symptoms Score in Thai version (OABSS-T) has been mentioned, validated and reliabled to evaluate symptoms. Therefore, it is important to examine the psychometric property of the OABSS-T in Thai female and define the prevalence of female overactive bladder (OAB) in Bangkok Metropolis Administration officers with the overactive bladder symptom score in Thai version (OABSS-T). This is the first study in prevalence of OAB in Urban city, Bangkok, Thailand.
Study design, materials and methods
This study was the cross-sectional survey, was done using self-report questionnaire of overactive bladder symptom scores in Thai version (OABSS-T). The OABSS-T had published before in both validity and reliability of Thai female overactive bladder and this study was used these-questionnaire for women government BMA officers aged more than 18 years old who working in City Hall of Bangkok Metropolis, Bangkok, Thailand. The questionnaire had the general question about the age, weight, height, hometown, level of education, parity, route of delivery, and having children.
Results
This study was done at Bangkok Metropolis Administration (BMA), had 1800 government officers and 531 were men officers. The 1320 OABSS-T (overactive bladder symptom score in Thai version) self-questionnaires were sent and there are 569 (44%) response rate. The first question is “Do you feel like urgency in urination?” In Analysis we found that there are 510 (90%) self-questionnaires completion. Prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) is 16.6% women working in the City Hall of Bangkok Metropolis. We found that the questionnaire in domain about Frequency, Urgency and Nocturia were common symptoms present with overactive bladder. Regression analysis showed that route of delivery of labor, parity, higher BMI (more than 25), aging and the education (below Bachelor and Bachelor degree) were potential risk factors for OAB.
Interpretation of results
Prevalence of OAB is 16.6% ,in Bangkok Metropolis Administration government officers in Urban city, was same the researches from Asia country tries. OABSS-T was classified into seven questions by symptoms into four domains.
Domain 1: about frequency and nocturia (2 questions) and total score is 8
Domain 2: about urgency (3 questions) and total score is 12
Domain 3: about urge urinary incontinence (1 question) and total score is 4
Domain 4: about bladder control (1 question) and total score is 4
The participants were asked to grade their symptom using Likert scale by a score of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 (from best to worst respectively). Out of seven questions, the total score were ranged from 0 to 28. The higher score revealed the severity of the symptoms. The most common of symptoms are frequency and nocturne and urgency but the urge urinary incontinence and bladder control are responded in lower. The limitations of our study are that it was conducted at single office, BMA and the sample was not random in this cohort. The data were collected only in the urban city Bangkok, the central region of Thailand, and the different dialects in other regions were not taken into consideration. Another limitation is that some data regarding underlying diseases and occupation were not collected, so their impact on this study is unclear. Urianalysis was not done in this study. Therefore, future studies should examine these parameters to determine whether there is any effect on OAB symptoms.
Concluding message
This was the first prevalence study of female OAB in Bangkok Metropolis officers, Bangkok, Thailand and increased the occurrence of OAB by the potential risk factors; aging, weight, height, BMI, hometown, level of education, parity, route of delivery, and having children more than 1.