Accessing and evaluating urologic health information: differences by race/ethnicity and gender.

Patients with urologic symptoms seek information from a variety of sources outside the traditional health care arena. There are differences between the genders and racial/ethnic groups related to sources consulted and confidence in those sources.

Complementary and alternative therapies for urinary symptoms: use in a diverse population sample qualitative study.

Study participants reported a range of remedies used to treat urinary symptoms, from popular products, such as saw palmetto, to less commonly known remedies, such as moabi. Participants learned about remedies through social network rather than from their primary care provider.

Talking with others about stigmatized health conditions: implications for managing symptoms.

We investigated the influence of social ties on symptom management and help seeking, using urinary symptoms as a case study. Talking with others about these symptoms was common and both facilitated and hindered symptom management and help seeking. In some cases, talking with others resulted in gaining a sense of identification with others suffering the same symptoms, receiving assistance to ease the burden of symptoms, obtaining suggestions to help manage symptoms, and learning information about available treatments. In other cases, talking with others served to normalize symptoms to such an extent that individuals saw no need to manage their symptoms differently.