Nocturia in the UK: public knowledge, self-management practices and advice-seeking behaviours: a cross-sectional study
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
El-Osta, Austen
Altalib, Sami
Riboli-Sasco, Eva
Rees, Jonathan
Drake, Marcus
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
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, and to examine
the socio-demographic correlates of these outcomes.
Design a cross-sectional online survey.
Setting Community-based, United Kingdom.
Participants 2,062 UK adults accessed the survey; 2,012 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 (e.g.,
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 (e.g., NHS website, Google) were consulted more frequently than
HealthCare Professionals (HCPs). 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, evidencebased 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.
nocturia, public knowledge of associated risk factors, self-management practices and
advice-seeking behaviours among community-dwelling adults in the UK, and to examine
the socio-demographic correlates of these outcomes.
Design a cross-sectional online survey.
Setting Community-based, United Kingdom.
Participants 2,062 UK adults accessed the survey; 2,012 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 (e.g.,
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 (e.g., NHS website, Google) were consulted more frequently than
HealthCare Professionals (HCPs). 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, evidencebased 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.
Date Acceptance
2026-01-21
Citation
BMJ Open
ISSN
2044-6055
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Journal / Book Title
BMJ Open
Copyright Statement
Copyright This paper is embargoed until publication. Once published the Version of Record (VoR) will be available on immediate open access.
License URL
Publication Status
Accepted