Men's experiences of having lower urinary tract symptoms: factors relating to bother

Abstract

To gain an understanding of men's experiences of having lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and of bother, a principle determinant of whether a patient has an intervention for LUTS. Data were collected on 75 patients with LUTS presenting to a urology outpatient clinic. Men completed a questionnaire asking about their symptoms, bother, mood and perceptions about LUTS. Most participants scored within the normal range for anxiety and depression, and expressed a moderate level of distress. They were to some extent bothered by their symptoms. Most men perceived LUTS as a long-term problem but felt unable to control their symptoms. The results suggest that bother reflects men's overall distress with having LUTS. Bother appears to be related to symptom severity, self perception, social limitation and the impact of LUTS. Embarrassment and social anxiety relate strongly to bother. Several psychological factors relate to bother; it may be possible to reduce bother using a brief psychological intervention.