Influence of coping styles on quality of life in men with new and increasing lower urinary tract symptoms

Objective: The present study aims to determine the influence of coping on quality of life (QOL) in elderly men developing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Materials and Methods: Longitudinal population-based study with a follow-up period of 6.5 years on 1,688 men aged 50-78 years. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires, including the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP, three domains), Inventory of Subjective Health (ISH), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and the Utrecht Coping List (UCL). Various physical and urological measurements were completed. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the change in QOL in men with incident LUTS in relation to coping behavior. Results: Overall no significant association is found between changes in LUTS with a change in QOL. However, a positive change in QOL is significantly associated with a change in LUTS when men use the coping style active problem solving and a negative relation exists with coping style reassuring thoughts. Conclusion: Different coping styles have a different impact on the relation between a change in LUTS and a change in generic QOL in community-dwelling elderly men. This makes a future exploration of the clinical treatment possibilities warranted. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.