Toileting behaviors and bladder symptoms in women who limit restroom use at work: a cross-sectional study

AbstractPurpose:While LUTS and bladder behaviors are known to be associated with certain occupations, little is known about restroom access or environmental factors that may contribute to this relationship. This study aimed to characterize reasons women limit restroom use at work and to determine whether women who limit use at work report more unhealthy bladder habits and LUTS.Materials and Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study of full-time working U.S. women. Women completed validated questionnaires recording toileting behaviors, LUTS, and perceptions of their occupational toilet environment. Women who limited restroom use at work “most” or “all of the time” were compared to those who either did not limit or did so “occasionally” or “sometimes.”Results:Of the 3,062 women in the final analytic sample, 11% reported limiting restroom use at work ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’. This group reported lower satisfaction with restroom cleanliness and privacy, in particular, and more frequently identified toil...