To investigate the risk factors of  OAB and their impact on anxiety level, quality of life and social interaction in young men in Mainland China.

An anonymous epidemiological questionnaire survey was conducted on 5 300 newly enrolled male university students(17~22 years old) from two universities in Henan Province China were selected by stratified random cluster sampling method from 2023 to 2024. The questionnaire included basic information and history of urinary tract infection(UTI), constipation, smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee/tea consumption, carbonated beverage consumption, phimosis/redundant prepuce urinary retention history, chronic insomnia history, as well as Self Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS), Quality of Life(QoL) score, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale(SADS). International Continence Society diagnoses urinary urgency scores of ≥ 2 and a total score of ≥ 3 in OABSS as OAB[3]. Analyze the relevant influencing factors of OAB and its impact on anxiety level, quality of life, and social interaction.

The overall prevalence of OAB was 4.9%(244/5 018) in male university students. The prevalence of OAB in male university students is related to a history of UTI(χ2=93.527, P<0.001), constipation(χ2=10.762, P=0.001), smoking(χ2=8.990, P=0.003), alcohol consumption(χ2=3.984, P=0.046), coffee/strong tea consumption(χ2=35.614, P<0.001), carbonated beverage consumption(χ2=10.809, P=0.001), redundant prepuce(χ2=4.839, P=0.028), phimosis(χ2=13.685, P<0.001), urinary retention(χ2=15.854, P<0.001), and chronic insomnia(χ2=62.654, P<0.001). It is not related to the place of residence(χ2=0.037, P=0.847). Logistic regression analysis showed that a history of urinary tract infections, constipation, smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee/strong tea consumption, carbonated drinks consumption, foreskin elongation, phimosis, urinary retention, and chronic insomnia were the related influencing factors of male university students OAB(P<0.05). The anxiety score, quality of life score, social avoidance score, social distress score, and average score of the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale for male university students in the OAB group were significantly higher than those in the non OAB group [(41.18 ± 6.535) points and(38.61 ± 6.357) points,(3.65 ± 1.203) points and(2.79 ± 0.947) points,(6.25 ± 1.863) points and(5.86 ± 1.509) points,(6.27 ± 1.594) points and(5.97 ± 1.319) points,(12.51 ± 2.353) points and(11.84 ± 2.005) points, P<0.05].

This study found that male college students with OAB were more likely to have anxiety and worse quality of life, possibly because the various symptoms of OAB severely affected the daily life. Male college students with OAB are more likely to avoid and distress about social interaction, which may be due to symptoms such as urgency, frequency, and incontinence, which make patients feel stigmatized and afraid of ridicule from others, thus affecting their social interactions.

A history of UTI, constipation, smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee/strong tea consumption, carbonated drinks consumption, foreskin elongation, phimosis, urinary retention, and chronic insomnia are related influencing factors for the occurrence of OAB among male youths. OAB has a negative impact on the mental health, quality of life, and social interaction of young men.

Continence 15S (2025) 102018
DOI: 10.1016/j.cont.2025.102018