Psychosocial risk factors of lower urinary tract symptoms among working women

Objectives: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are prevalent among women, affecting not only their physical well-being but also their quality of working life. This study aimed to assess the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and LUTS among working women. Additionally, we sought to investigate whether women with psychosocial risk factors at work reported reduced quality of life (QOL) and a higher degree of productivity loss from absenteeism and presenteeism.

Methods: An online survey was conducted to collect the demographic characteristics, occupational risk factors, and LUTS among employed Korean women. Shift work, weekly working hours, occupational stress, and emotional labor were surveyed as psychosocial risk factors at work. The association between psychosocial risk factors and LUTS was assessed using adjusted logistic regression. The relationships between psychosocial risk factors and LUTS-related outcomes, such as were examined using a generalized linear model.

Results: Of the 1057 participants, 260 (24.6%) and 294 (27.81%) had overactive bladder and urinary incontinence, respectively. Job stress, emotional labor, and night-shift work are significantly associated with a higher prevalence of LUTS, which reduce workers' QOL and labor productivity through absenteeism and presenteeism due to urination symptoms.

Conclusions: Psychosocial factors at work, particularly job stress, emotional labor, and night-shift work, were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of LUTS, leading to reduced QOL and labor productivity due to urination symptoms.