REVEAL-OAB: Identifying where change is possible for patients of Overactive Bladder

However, such experiences are not always fully captured when we talk about OAB.

The EAU Patient Office is therefore leading REVEAL-OAB, a mixed-methods research project that aims to build a more complete picture of what it means to live with OAB. Our partners for this project include:

• The World Federation of Incontinence and Pelvic Problems (WFIPP),
• The International Continence Society,
• SINUG,
• EAUN,
• EAU Policy Office,
• EAU Guidelines Office,
• The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaires (ICIQ),
• The University of Liverpool and
• The Goodmess,

Should we mention the sponsoring parties? Maybe not in this list but acknowledge them at the end of the article?

Together with our partners, the study will examine patients’ daily lives and their emotional and social wellbeing in eight countries: 

• Germany,
• Italy,
• France
• the Netherlands,
• Poland,
• Spain,
• Sweden and
• the United Kingdom.

One of the key focuses of REVEAL-OAB is to understand outcomes that matter to patients themselves.

Previous research has shown that the burden of OAB cannot be understood based on symptoms alone. An OAB patient’s life can also be influenced by other variables; such as how distressing or extreme these symptoms are, how the symptoms affect everyday activities, or how treatments fit into someone’s daily routine. Together, these can massively impact a patient’s quality of life. Living with OAB may also involve the ongoing work of organising appointments, treatments and self-care alongside employment, family responsibilities and social life.

REVEAL-OAB will combine Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) with qualitative research exploring patients’ lived experiences. This combination is important, as standardised questionnaires can expose common patterns across patient populations, while qualitative research can help us understand the individual experiences behind those patterns. The patient organisations that the project will work with will also help to place patients’ perspectives and voices at the centre of the research.

The findings of the REVEAL-OAB Study will have large implications for current and future OAB patients by informing clinical practice, strengthening shared decision-making between patients and healthcare professionals, guiding healthcare policy and resource allocation, and identifying priorities for future research

The study will also explore unmet needs among people with OAB and consider how patients can be better supported in managing their condition and participating in decisions about treatment. It will also examine what healthcare policies and resources may be needed to prioritise treatments that meaningfully improve patients’ quality of life.

Importantly, the project is not only about understanding what is difficult. It is about identifying where change is possible.

By bringing together patient-reported data and personal experiences from different European healthcare and social contexts, REVEAL-OAB aims to establish a stronger evidence base for more patient- and person-centred OAB care. It also hopes to identify gaps that should be addressed by future research.

For the EAU Patient Office, this reflects a simple but important principle: improving care begins with more exposure on previously unchartered issues behind the condition, and  what matters most to the people living with the condition.

The results of the study will be presented at the Annual EAU Congress in Amsterdam in March of 2027. Please stay tuned for further details regarding the exact date and time of the presentation. We would like to thank our sponsoring parties Medtronic, BD and Astellas Pharma Europe B.V. for making this study possible.