Influence of sociodemographic and health status variables on the American Urological Association Symptom Scores in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms

Objectives. To evaluate the relationship between sociodemographic and health status variables and the American Urological Association Symptom Score (AUA-7] because low associations between clinical measures of lower urinary tract symptoms and scores on the AUA-7 suggest that symptoms may be influenced by other variables. Methods. Sociodemographic, clinical, and health status variables were recorded for 666 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH symptoms were measured with the AUA-7. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine correlations between sociodemographic and health status variables and AUA-7 scores. Results. BPH-related variables (clinical rating of severity, number of BPH treatments, and being scheduled for surgery) were included in the final regression model, which explained 25% of the overall variability in scores. An additional 7% of the total variability was explained by other non-BPH-related variables (educational level, presence of depression/anxiety, and pain/discomfort). Conclusions. The AUA-7 is a robust questionnaire that is little influenced by sociodemographic variables and general health status. The educational level, mood, and presence of pain/discomfort of patients should be taken into account when interpreting scores, as a combination of these characteristics could mean a difference of up to 6 points on the AUA-7. UROLOGY 57: 71-77, 2001. (C) 2001, Elsevier Science Inc.