Dysuria self-management experience among home elderly patients with prostatic hyperplasia: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objective To understand the dysuria self-management experience among home elderly patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) so as to provide a basis for taking targeted nursing intervention. Methods From March to May 2018, we selected 14 home elderly patients with BPH living in community at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University as subjects by purposive sampling. We collected data with semi-structured interview, the phenomenological method of qualitative study. Sort, analysis and refining theme was carried out to these data with the Colaizzi phenomenological approach. Results A total of four themes on dysuria self-management experience were refined among home elderly patients with BPH living in community including being with various besets (influencing sleep quality, inconvenient daily life and psychological distress) , lack of self-management knowledge and capability (vague recognition on disease, paying no attention to related symptoms, poor treatment compliance and insufficient action) , attitudes towards dysuria varying from person to person (indifferent, negative, seeking treatment positively) and expecting to get professional guidance as well as help. Conclusions Cognition and experience on disease of elderly BPH patients reflects insufficient knowledge. Nurses should pay attention to demands of home elderly BPH patients on dysuria self-management and strengthen disease management so as to improve self-management skills. Key words: Prostatic hyperplasia; Aged; Dysuria; Self-management; Qualitative research; Real experience