A recent study suggests that having several ongoing health conditions may affect a woman’s overall bladder health—even when frequent urinary symptoms are not yet present.

Bladder health involves more than whether a person has leakage or needs to urinate often. It also includes comfort, bladder control and emptying, as well as the effect the bladder has on work, travel, exercise, relationships, emotions and everyday freedom.

Researchers explored this broader view of bladder health in the RISE FOR HEALTH study.

What Did the Study Examine?

The study included 2,016 women aged 40 and older living in communities across the United States. Participants completed questionnaires about chronic medical conditions, bladder function and urinary symptoms. Researchers also considered factors such as age, body weight, education and physical function.

The women were divided into four groups:

  • No chronic health conditions
  • One chronic condition
  • Two or three chronic conditions
  • Four or more chronic conditions

High blood pressure and osteoarthritis were among the most common conditions reported. Nearly 10% of women with two chronic conditions had both high blood pressure and osteoarthritis.

What Did Researchers Find?

Women with no chronic conditions—or only one—generally reported better overall bladder health and bladder function than women with several chronic conditions.

For example, women with four or more conditions had lower scores for overall bladder health, comfort, urination and other areas of bladder function. However, they were not more likely to report frequent urinary symptoms than women without chronic conditions.

This is an important distinction. A woman may not have frequent leakage, urgency or nighttime urination, but her bladder may still affect how comfortable, confident or free she feels in daily life. Some people may also change their routines—such as locating bathrooms in advance or using pads—which can make symptoms less noticeable while still affecting quality of life.

Why Might Chronic Conditions Affect the Bladder?

Physical function appeared to explain part of the connection between multiple chronic conditions and poorer bladder health.

Conditions such as osteoarthritis can cause pain, stiffness and muscle weakness. These problems may make it harder to move quickly, reach a bathroom or manage clothing. Diabetes and certain neurological conditions can also affect bladder sensation, control or emptying.

The study does not prove that chronic conditions directly cause poor bladder health. Instead, it shows that the two may be connected and that mobility and physical function may play an important role.

What Does This Mean for Patients?

Bladder health deserves attention as part of your overall health—especially when you are managing more than one long-term medical condition.

Consider discussing your bladder health with your healthcare provider if you notice changes such as:

  • A sudden or difficult-to-control urge to urinate
  • Urinating more often during the day or night
  • Urine leakage
  • Pain or discomfort as the bladder fills
  • Difficulty starting urination or emptying the bladder
  • Changes that limit exercise, travel, work or social activities

Do not assume that bladder changes are simply an unavoidable part of aging or chronic illness. Talking about them early may help your healthcare team identify contributing factors and discuss appropriate evaluation or treatment.

Important Study Limitations

This study provides a snapshot in time, so it cannot show whether chronic conditions occurred before changes in bladder health. The medical conditions were also self-reported, and researchers do not yet know whether the differences in bladder-health scores were large enough to produce a noticeable clinical difference for every patient. Longer-term research is underway.

The main message: Women with several chronic health conditions may experience poorer overall bladder health even before frequent urinary symptoms become obvious. Bladder well-being should therefore be considered during routine care for chronic health conditions.

Based on Vaughan and colleagues, “Association of Chronic Conditions With Bladder Health in Women: Cross-Sectional Results From the RISE FOR HEALTH Study,” published in Preventing Chronic Disease in 2025.

This article is for general education and does not replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional.