Parent and physician perspectives on the treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: Parental decisions about the treatment of nocturnal enuresis (NE) are generally based on silent agreement with a physician's recommendation. However, physicians may have an insufficient understanding about parents' concerns and expectations regarding treatment. The aim of this study was to clarify the discrepancies between the perceptions of parents and physicians and to better understand the attitudes related to NE treatment. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted in six centers and included 105 parents and 102 physicians. Two questionnaires, one for parents and another for physicians, were prepared. Each contained items on demographic characteristics, concerns, and NE treatment preferences. The parents completed the questionnaire during their child's first clinical visit, and the physicians completed the questionnaire via e-mail or individual interviews. Results: Low self-esteem was the most common concern among both parents and physicians. Parents showed a more serious concern regarding disease progression and sequelae than did physicians. In the parent group, parents of younger children were mainly concerned about growth, whereas parents of children with daytime symptoms were mainly concerned about disease progression and relationships. Treatment outcome preferences differed significantly between the two groups. Physicians preferred treatments yielding immediate results, whereas parents preferred long-term treatments that would result in low recurrence. Conclusions: This survey presents the differences between parents and physicians regarding NE concerns and therapeutic preferences. Our study may provide valuable insight for physicians regarding parental attitudes toward NE treatment. © The Korean Urological Association, 2013.