Occupation History, Job Strain, and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Among Men

Work environments have received little attention as a potential determinant of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). A small literature among women, and an even smaller literature among men, suggests that occupations with manual labor demands are associated with greater likelihood of experiencing LUTS. Job strain, defined as low decision latitude in combination with high psychological demands, was found not to be associated with LUTS in one sample of women. Associations of occupation and job strain with LUTS among men were examined using Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort study data.

Occupation was assessed 7 times beginning when men were aged 18-30 years (1985-1986 through 2005-2006). Job strain and its components (psychological job demands, decision latitude) were assessed in 1987-1988 and 1995-1996. In 2012-2013, LUTS were assessed. LUTS category (severe or moderate versus mild or none) was regressed on job strain and occupation variables in separate analyses, adjusting for age, race, and self-reported benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (n = 858).

Differences in LUTS and job characteristics were observed between Black and White men. Neither job strain nor occupation were associated with men's LUTS, both before and after adjustment for BPH.

Among this population-based sample of United States men, assessed aspects of occupations across early and midlife adulthood were not associated with men's LUTS at midlife. This is in contrast to some population-based research on occupations among Chinese and Korean men. Additional research is needed to understand whether specific occupations and work characteristics are associated with men's LUTS.