Why do men suffering from LUTS seek primary medical care? A qualitative study

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common problems among men, but only a small proportion actually visit their general practitioner (GP). This study aims to gain insight into the reasons why men visit a doctor, and their expectations.

We opted to perform a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews among men aged over 50 years who consulted their GP because of suffering from LUTS. All interviews were fully transcribed and coded and analysed by two researchers using ATLAS.ti.

We interviewed 18 men between the ages of 52 and 80. Frequently mentioned reasons for seeking help can be grouped under three main themes: a wish for reassurance about not having prostate cancer, the nuisance of symptoms such as nycturia and being triggered by public information about LUTS. Most participants lacked an understanding of the cause and prognosis of their symptoms.

The main reasons to seek primary medical care are the need for reassurance and the nuisance of symptoms, especially nycturia. Overall, the patients show remarkably poor knowledge about their symptoms.