Difficulties experienced by patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia regarding their physical symptoms

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a significant health concern for all ageing men and is characterized by clinical symptoms resulting from the growth of benign tissues in the prostate gland. Living with a chronic disease like BPH undoubtedly affects different aspects of a person's life. This study was conducted to examine in-depth the difficulties experienced by BPH patients who have no other option but to undergo surgery due to their symptoms. The study is qualitative research with a phenomenological design. A total of 18 patients were included in the study. Research data were obtained using the interview method, which is one of the qualitative data collection methods, and the content analysis method was used to analyse the data obtained from the interviews. Eighteen patients with ages ranging from 57 to 75 years and experiencing BPH-related symptoms for 2–11 years participated in the study. The reactions of patients to living with BPH-related symptoms were presented under the themes of social anxiety, social disconnection, impaired quality of sleep, and decreased sexual self-confidence. The themes mentioned by BPH patients regarding the duration of their illness are the result of a combination of many factors. In this context, it is recommended that urology nurses provide psychological support, medical information, self-care skills, and self-monitoring skills to BPH patients to develop individual coping mechanisms. BPH is a significant health concern for all ageing men and is characterized by clinical symptoms resulting from the growth of benign tissues in the prostate gland. Living with a chronic disease like BPH undoubtedly affects different aspects of a person's life. It is not impossible to find solutions to patients by understanding them deeply.