Objectives: Population-level data are lacking for urinary incontinence (UI) in Central and Eastern European countries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, bother, and behavior regarding treatment for UI in a population-representative group of Polish adults aged ≥ 40 years. Methods: Data for this epidemiological study were derived from the larger LUTS POLAND project, in which a group of adults that typified the Polish population were surveyed, by telephone, about lower urinary tract symptoms. Respondents were classified by age, sex, and place of residence. UI was assessed with a standard protocol and established International Continence Society definitions. Results: The LUTS POLAND survey included 6005 completed interviews. The prevalence of UI was 14.6–25.4%; women reported a greater occurrence compared with men (p < 0.001). For both sexes, UI prevalence increased with age. Stress UI was the most common type of UI in women, and urgency UI was the most prevalent in men. We did not find a difference in prevalence between urban and rural areas. Individuals were greatly bothered by UI. For women, mixed UI was the most bothersome, whereas for men, leak for no reason was most annoying. More than half of respondents (51.4–62.3%) who reported UI expressed anxiety about the effect of UI on their quality of life. Nevertheless, only around one third (29.2–38.1%) of respondents with UI sought treatment, most of whom received treatment. Persons from urban and rural areas did not differ in the degrees of treatment seeking and treatment receiving. Conclusion: Urinary incontinence was prevalent and greatly bothersome among Polish adults aged ≥ 40 years. Consequently, UI had detrimental effects on quality of life. Nonetheless, most affected persons did not seek treatment. Therefore, we need to increase population awareness in Poland about UI and available treatment methods, and we need to ensure adequate allocation of government and healthcare system resources.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on behavior related to treatment of Polish adults aged ≥ 40 years. Methods: We conducted a computer-assisted telephone survey with a study sample stratified by age, sex, and place of residence (type, size, urban versus rural) reflecting the entire Polish population. Participants rated the frequency and symptom-specific bother of individual LUTS and their effects on seeking and receiving treatment, treatment satisfaction, and treatment continuation. We adjusted multiple logistic regression models to analyze the simultaneous effects of predictor variables on each dependent variable. Results: Overall, 6005 participants completed the interview. One third (29.6–33.5%) of participants with LUTS were seeking treatment, and 24.0–26.4% received treatment. There was no difference in treatment seeking and receiving between urban and rural areas. Whereas storage and voiding symptoms were significantly related to treatment seeking by both men and women, treatment receiving correlated only with voiding symptoms in men and only with storage symptoms in women. Most respondents who received treatment were satisfied; treatment dissatisfaction was related to the presence of storage symptoms in both men and women. Only 50% of all participants continued their treatment; discontinuation of treatment was statistically more prevalent for women than for men. Conclusion: This investigation, the first population-representative study performed in Eastern Europe, revealed a low frequency of seeking treatment for LUTS. In addition, symptoms that inclined participants to seek treatment might not have been adequately addressed by the treatment they received. We also found a relatively high rate of treatment discontinuation. Clearly, there is a need for both improved patient education about LUTS treatment and a need for increased clinician awareness of the coexistence of different symptoms in men and women plus proactive evaluation by physicians for all types of LUTS and associated bother.

Background: The aim of this study was to perform a cross-sectional study of Polish neurogenic patients to measure, at the population level, the prevalence, bother and behavior associated with treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and overactive bladder (OAB). Methods: This epidemiological study was based on data from LUTS POLAND, a computer-assisted and population-representative telephone survey. Participants were classified by age, sex and place of residence. Results: LUTS POLAND includes 6005 completed interviews, of which 1166 (19.4%) were for individuals who had ever received any treatment by neurologists and/or neurosurgeons. Among these neurogenic participants, LUTS prevalence was 72.3%, statistically higher than for non-neurogenic respondents. At the population level, neurogenic patients had about a 20% higher risk for LUTS presence than non-neurogenic participants (relative risk: 1.17–1.21). LUTS prevalence did not differ between men and women. Frequency was the most common of the LUTS. Forty percent of neurogenic respondents described having more than one LUTS subtype (i.e., storage, voiding, and/or post-micturition symptom subtype), and more than 50% of respondents reported OAB symptoms. Both storage and voiding symptoms were bothersome, and many neurogenic individuals (42.3–51.0%) expressed anxiety about bladder function affecting quality of life. Only one-third (34.9–36.6%) of neurogenic participants had sought treatment for their LUTS, and the majority of such individuals received and maintained treatment. Conclusions: LUTS and OAB symptoms were highly prevalent and bothersome among Polish neurogenic patients at the population level. Because the scale of seeking treatment for LUTS was low, Polish neurogenic patients may not be adequately informed about multiple effects of LUTS and OAB.

Background and Objectives: In the general population, sleep disorders are associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) including urinary incontinence (UI). This connection has not been explored fully in specific patient groups. Thus, we investigated the association between sleep quality and LUTS for patients with depression. Materials and Methods: This study was prospective and cross-sectional. We analyzed questionnaire data on depression, sleep quality, LUTS, and UI from depressed patients treated in our department of adult psychiatry. We used the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Holland Sleep Disorders Questionnaire, the International Prostate Symptom Score, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form. Results: In total, 102 patients treated for depression were enrolled. We found a statistically significant correlation between depression severity and sleep quality. A significant correlation was also investigated for sleep quality and LUTS severity. The group of depressed patients with moderate or severe LUTS had greater sleep problems compared with patients who had mild urinary tract symptoms or no symptoms. With regression analysis, we further demonstrated that the relationships between LUTS and sleep quality as well as UI and sleep quality in depressed patients are independent from age and sex. Conclusions: In the cohort of patients treated for depression, sleep quality correlated with LUTS including UI. We suggest that the negative effect of LUTS and UI on sleep quality that we observed should lead to the re-evaluation of current recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of sleep problems among patients with depression.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to measure at the population level the prevalence, bother, effect on quality of life, and behavior associated with treatment for nocturia in a large representative cohort of Polish adults aged ≥40 years. Materials and Methods: Data were derived from LUTS POLAND, a computer-assisted telephone survey of urological health that mirrored the entire Polish population in urban and rural areas. Results: Six thousand persons completed the survey. The respondents were representative for age, sex, and place of residence. Nocturia was highly prevalent because 73.7% of all participants reported ≥1 nocturia episode, and 36.1% reported ≥2 nocturia episodes. We did not identify differences between urban and rural areas. Women were more often affected than men, and the prevalence of nocturia increased with age. More than one-third (29.7–45.3%) of respondents who reported nocturia were bothered by the symptom and, thereby, concerned about their urinary-specific quality of life. Notably, we found a statistically significant correlation between the frequency of nocturia and intensification of its bother (p < 0.001 for men and women). However, only about one-fourth (22.2–29.2%) of respondents with nocturia sought treatment, most of whom received treatment. Conclusions: Nocturia was highly prevalent and often bothersome with negative effects on quality of life of Polish adults aged ≥40 years. However, the percentage of treatment seeking was low. Combined with the fact that nocturia has multiple causes and consequences, including high morbidity and mortality, our findings revealed that nocturia was a significant public health issue. We need to develop strategies to specifically increase awareness about nocturia and provide greater healthcare and financial resources for persons with nocturia in Poland.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure, at the population level, the prevalence, bother, and treatment-related behavior for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) in a large cohort of cardiology patients. Methods: This report is a further analysis of data from LUTS POLAND, a computer-assisted telephone survey that reflected the entire Polish population, stratified by age, sex, and place of residence. LUTS and OAB were assessed by a standardized protocol, the International Continence Society definitions, and validated questionnaires. In addition, all participants provided information regarding their behavior as it related to LUTS treatment. Results: Overall, 6005 participants completed interviews, and 1835 (30.6%) had received treatment by cardiologists. The prevalence of LUTS was 73.3% for cardiology participants compared with 57.0% for respondents who were not treated by cardiologists (p < 0.001). There were no differences between men and women in LUTS prevalence for cardiology patients. Nocturia was the most prevalent LUTS. LUTS were often bothersome, and storage symptoms were more bothersome than voiding or postmicturition symptoms. The prevalence of OAB syndrome was 50.7% in cardiology patients, higher than in noncardiology participants (36.6%, p < 0.001), and more women were affected than men. Only one-third of cardiology patients who reported LUTS were seeking treatment for LUTS, and most of them received treatment. There were no differences between persons living in urban and rural areas. Conclusions: LUTS and OAB were highly prevalent among cardiology patients. Although LUTS were often bothersome in this unique population, we found that the seeking of treatment for LUTS was minimal. These results highlight the need for cooperation between cardiologists and urologists.