The impact of overactive bladder on sexual health in women with diabetes.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of overactive bladder symptoms and sexual dysfunction is increased in women with type 2 diabetes, and this can negatively impact their quality of life.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of overactive bladder on sexual function and the quality of sexual life in women with and without type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 168 women who were assigned to 4 groups: healthy women (n = 42), women with overactive bladder (n = 42), women with diabetes but without overactive bladder (n = 42), and women with both diabetes and overactive bladder (n = 42). Data were collected using the Overactive Bladder 8-Question Awareness Tool, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Sexual Quality of Life-Female questionnaire. The variables assessed with these tools were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Outcomes: The levels of overactive bladder symptoms, sexual function, and sexual quality of life in women were evaluated.

Results: The overactive bladder and sexual function scores of women with overactive bladder and women with both diabetes and overactive bladder were significantly worse compared to those of healthy women (P ˂ .001). In particular, women with both diabetes and overactive bladder had lower levels of sexual quality of life compared to women with overactive bladder and healthy women (P ˂ .001).

Clinical implications: The study reveals that overactive bladder symptoms and diabetes severely affect women's quality of sexual life, emphasizing that these problems should be a routine part of clinical assessment.

Strengths and limitations: The strength of the study lies in its unique approach as the first to comprehensively examine the effect of diabetes and overactive bladder on sexuality through a comparison of 4 distinct groups of women. Collecting data using valid and reliable scales and applying the STROBE checklist increases methodological rigor. However, the limited sample size restricts generalizability, and causal relationships cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design. In addition, self-reported data may increase the risk of bias.

Conclusion: This study highlights that diabetes and overactive bladder symptoms negatively affect women's sexual function and sexual quality of life and that comprehensive and individualized treatment plans should be developed.