Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39039801›Full record

ArticleNeurourology and urodynamics2024

"There is a lot of shame that comes with this": A qualitative study of patient experiences of isolation, embarrassment, and stigma associated with overactive bladder.

Casey N Brodsky, Hannah M Sitto, Daniela Wittmann, Lauren P Wallner, Courtney Streur, Melissa DeJonckheere, John S Stoffel, Anne P Cameron, Aruna Sarma, James Q Clemens and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurourology and urodynamics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The status of health-related quality of life among older adults with overactive bladder: a cross-sectional analysis of the Yamagata Cohort Study in Japan.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Health Disparities and Overactive Bladder: Bridging the Gap.Current bladder dysfunction reports · 2026
    Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Casey N BrodskyDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4905-4125
Hannah M SittoCentral Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, USA.
Daniela WittmannDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Lauren P WallnerSchool of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Courtney StreurDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Melissa DeJonckheereDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
John S StoffelDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5503-4940
Anne P CameronDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8414-3065
Aruna SarmaDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3420-8021
James Q ClemensDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Giulia M IppolitoDepartment of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6977-5280

Funding

University of Michigan UroEPI Career Development ProgramK12DK111011 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI CLEMENS, J. QUENTIN, SARMA, ARUNA V · 2016 to 2025
$3.6M
NIDDK NIH HHS K12 DK111011NIDDK NIH HHS K12-DK111011-06University of Michigan Department of Urology Scholar K12-DK111011-06
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsBeyond causing physical discomfort, overactive bladder (OAB) is distressing to patients across a variety of psychosocial domains. In this qualitative component of a larger mixed methods study, we explore patients' lived experience with OAB to understand how this condition impacts individuals on a personal and social level, as well as their experiences interacting with the health care system.

methodsA total of 20 patients and 12 physicians completed a questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The interview guide, developed in an iterative fashion by the authors, included questions about treatment decision making as well as experiences living with or treating OAB; this manuscript focuses on the questions probing lived experiences and interactions between patients and physicians. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and inductively coded and analyzed according to the principles of interpretive description to develop themes.

resultsAnalysis of patient and physician interviews yielded five key themes: isolation due to OAB diagnosis, social stigma associated with noticeable OAB symptoms, embarrassment from interactions with the health care system, feeling invalidated and dismissed by physicians, and OAB patients as a "vulnerable" population with "desperation" for cure.

conclusionsOAB causes patients marked distress beyond their physical symptoms; it causes feelings of isolation from friends and family and makes them feel embarrassed to discuss their condition with loved ones and physicians alike. Efforts to destigmatize OAB, validate patient experiences, and improve access to OAB care may help diminish the psychosocial burden of OAB.

Indexed as

Qualitative ResearchShameSocial StigmaUrinary Bladder, OveractiveAdultAgedEmbarrassmentFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhysician-Patient RelationsSocial IsolationSurveys and Questionnairescommunicationoveractive bladderpatient‐centered carepatient experiencequality of lifestigmaurologic disease

Identifiers

PMID39039801
PMCPMC11776393

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.