Press Releases
What Happens in The Powder Room, Stays in The Powder Room
NEW ONLINE PROGRAM AIMS TO DEMYSTIFY OVERACTIVE BLADDER
Toronto, Ontario, October 2, 2007 – There are widespread misconceptions among Canadian women about overactive bladder (OAB) and its symptoms, according to a survey conducted by The Strategic Counsel, commissioned on behalf of the Powder Room - a new, unique and interactive program designed to educate Canadians on OAB, symptoms, lifestyle tips, management techniques and much more.
Affecting approximately 12 to 18 per cent of Canadians, OAB is a chronic medical condition causing a person to feel the sudden urge to urinate even when their bladder is not full.2,3
“OAB can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life,” says Dr. Lesley Carr, Urologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “Encouraging dialogue around the condition will help individuals understand the signs and symptoms and obtain information about the variety of treatment options available to them.”
CANADIAN OAB SURVEY
According to the survey, almost half of Canadian women (48 per cent) believe that OAB is characterized by incontinence (involuntary urination), indicating that this is a key misconception surrounding OAB. In addition, over one-third of Canadian women inaccurately believe that overactive bladder typically affects those who are age 65 and older.
The survey also found that 55 per cent of Canadian women are unaware that the sudden “urge to urinate” is the primary symptom of overactive bladder. It also revealed that one in ten women sometimes limit travel plans because they are concerned about the need to find a bathroom.1
OPEN THE DOOR TO THE POWDER ROOM…
The Powder Room is a national and fully bilingual educational program for individuals looking for more information on OAB. The Powder Room offers an accepting web-based community that allows individuals to share their thoughts and concerns about the condition. Through www.powderroom.ca, individuals can learn about OAB, as well as receive tips and educational materials that can be downloaded free directly from the website.
“I am very excited to partner with the Powder Room and to assist in providing Canadians with credible information on overactive bladder, a condition that affects individuals in various stages of life,” says Fran Stewart, RN, Nurse Continence Advisor, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “This kind of program can provide individuals with the tools to manage this condition, as well as the opportunity to learn from other people’s experiences and stories.”
ABOUT OAB
Having the sudden “urge to urinate”, even when your bladder is not full, is the primary symptom of overactive bladder and not, as some believe, incontinence (urine leakage). 4,5
In a person with OAB, the bladder muscle begins to contract while the bladder is filling with urine, rather than when the bladder is full. This can be very difficult to manage as the individual experiences a sudden need to go to the bathroom, which can be very inconvenient especially when in a meeting or when travelling.
There are various underlying risk factors that may contribute to an overactive bladder condition. , Some risk factors are common and may include: urinary tract infections, side effects of medications, obesity, pregnancy and menopause. Others are more severe and less common, such as: nerve damage caused by spinal cord lesions, neurological disease (i.e. Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, etc.), stroke, and a blocked urethra due to enlarged prostate or prostatic surgery in men.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A five-minute online survey was conducted in October 2006. One thousand responses were captured nationally from women between the ages of 45 to 64 (those considered a primary target for overactive bladder). Quotas were set by region to ensure that regions could be analyzed individually. The data was weighted to reflect a nationally proportionate sample.1
ABOUT THE POWDER ROOM
The Powder Room is a national and fully bilingual, educational program developed in collaboration with Canadian healthcare professionals. The program works to improve the quality of life of individuals with OAB by helping them to understand, manage and treat the condition. More information on the Powder Room can be found at www.powderroom.ca.
For further information or to arrange an interview with a urologist or Nurse Continence Advisor, please contact:
Lizanor Barrera, Communications MECA/Médicomm
416-425-9143, ext.227 or 1-866-337-3362
lbarrera@meca.ca
REFERENCES
- The Strategic Counsel. “Overactive Bladder Awareness – an online survey”. October, 2006.
- Irwin D, Milsom I, Hunskaar S, et al. Population-Based Survey of Urinary Incontinence, Overactive Bladder, and Other Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Five Countries: Results of the EPIC Study. Eur Urol. 2006; 50(6):1306-1314.
- Corcos J, Schick E. Prevalence of overactive bladder and incontinence in Canada. Cnd J Urol 2004; 11(3):2278-2284.
- Kelleher C, et al. Improved Quality of Life in Patients with Overactive Bladder Symptoms treated with Solifenacin. BJU International 2005; 95:81-85.
- Wein A, Rackley, R. Overactive Bladder: A Better Understanding of Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management. J Urology 2006; 175:S5-S10.
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