The Illness Experiences of Women with Overactive Bladder in Hong Kong

Abstract

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common chronic bladder dysfunction worldwide. However, the illness experiences of women with OAB in Asian countries have not been well documented. In this article, I investigate the illness experiences of women with OAB in Hong Kong. I adopted a qualitative study design by conducting 30 in-depth, semistructured interviews with women who were diagnosed as having OAB and were aged between 28 and 55 years. Negative illness experiences were noted among the participants, including embarrassment, shame, frustration, helplessness, resignation, uselessness, and self-seclusion. These negative experiences were not only the result of the physical symptoms and limitations brought on by the bladder condition, but were also caused by social difficulties such as the flippant attitudes of primary care providers, the tortuous journey of seeking and receiving treatment, and a lack of understanding from social members such as family members and colleagues in the workplace.

Keywords: China, Chinese culture; coping and adaptation; health behavior; illness and disease, chronic; illness and disease, experiences; interviews, semistructured; qualitative analysis; research, qualitative; women’s health.