Public knowledge, self-management and advice-seeking for lower urinary tract symptoms and nocturia: findings from a national UK cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and nocturia, public knowledge of associated risk factors, self-management practices and advice-seeking behaviours among community-dwelling adults in the UK, as well as to examine the sociodemographic correlates of these outcomes.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional online survey.

SETTING

Community based, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

2062 UK adults accessed the survey; 2012 provided complete sociodemographic data for analysis (50.2% female, 49.8% male; 81.7% white, 9.4% Asian/Asian British; aged 18-65+ years); convenience sampling via online panels and networks, with informed consent.

INTERVENTIONS: None (observational survey study).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of LUTS/nocturia; awareness of symptoms/risk factors; self-management strategies; advice sources; demographic associations.

RESULTS

Among all respondents, 52.7% reported experiencing nocturia, with 42.2% having symptoms nightly and 47.1% waking at least twice per night. While 90.5% recognised fluid intake before bed as a cause, knowledge of other risk factors (eg, cardiovascular disease, salt intake, sleep disorders) was limited. Nearly half (43.2%) of those with symptoms had never sought advice; only 27% sought professional input. Online resources (eg, National Health Service website, Google) were consulted more frequently than healthcare professionals. Age, sex, ethnicity, long-term condition status and disability were associated with variations in awareness and advice-seeking behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

Nocturia is highly prevalent, but advice-seeking is quite low. While awareness of behavioural contributors is relatively good, several contributing medical conditions and other health-related factors were less known. These findings highlight a need for national health literacy campaigns focused on specific risk factors, evidence-based self-care tools and greater professional engagement. Addressing these gaps can normalise discussions about bladder health, reduce stigma and improve early detection and management of LUTS in the community.