Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Knowledge Deficits Among Male Urology Patients

Objective: To measure patient knowledge about Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and identify factors associated with knowledge deficiencies among those newly presenting to our urology clinic.

Methods: Adult men presenting as new patients to our institution's urology clinic, regardless of chief complaint, were invited to complete a 26-item multiple choice questionnaire to assess basic knowledge about BPH, related symptomatology, and treatment options prior to their initial consultation. Responses were correlated to demographic variables using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multivariable linear modeling.

Results: 206 patients completed the questionnaire and had a mean age of 60.8 years. The majority were white (85.6%) and 28.9% were medicare/medicaid insured. The mean correct response rate was 62% (standard deviation of 22.9%) with the worst performing domain being BPH complications. Having a graduate or professional degree (P <.001) and self-referral were associated with significantly higher scores (P = .027).

Conclusion: There remain significant knowledge gaps about BPH among men seeking urologic care. Education tools for both patients and primary care physicians may help improve health literacy as well as health outcomes for patients with BPH.