Nocturia in the UK: public knowledge, self-management practices and advice-seeking behaviours: A cross-sectional study

Objectives To determine nocturia prevalence, public knowledge of LUTS and nocturia risk factors, self-management practices, and advice-seeking behaviours among UK community-dwelling adults, and to examine demographic associations. Design a cross-sectional online survey. Setting Community-based, United Kingdom. Participants 2,062 UK adults accessed the survey; 2,012 provided complete socio-demographic 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 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 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, evidence-based 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.