To assess patients' ability to retain the information provided about urodynamic studies (UDS) and analyse the influence of sex, age, educational level, and anxiety on this ability.

A single-centre cross-sectional study was conducted, including patients over 18 years old who were scheduled for UDS between May and September 2024. Patients with cognitive impairment, language barriers, or prior UDS were excluded.
A 10-item interview questionnaire was designed, and each patient underwent two interviews: one immediately after the consultation when the UDS was requested and another three weeks later. Retention of the information was assessed by calculating the percentage of recalled items and analysing differences between the two interviews. The influence of age, sex, anxiety levels (Anderson scale), and educational level on recall percentage was analysed using a univariate analysis.

A total of 67 patients were included, 44 women (65.7%) and 23 men (34.3%). The average age was 61±19 years. Regarding education level, 22 (32.8%) had no education, 35 (52.2%) had basic education, and 10 (14.9%) had higher education. Regarding anxiety levels, 4 patients (5.9%) perceived themselves as relaxed when the information was given, 38 (56.7%) evaluated themselves as normal, 20 (29.9%) perceived mild anxiety, 3 (4.5%) moderate and 2 patients (3%) severe anxiety. In the first interview, the average percentage of recalled items was 75.2% (95% CI, 66.30-83.85%), while after 3 weeks, it decreased to 58.9% (95% CI, 47.75-69.86%) (figure 1).

Statistically significant differences were observed in recall percentage based on educational level, both in the first (p=0.009) and second interviews (p=0.018), with better information retention in the groups with higher levels of education. No statistically significant differences were found in information recall based on sex, age or anxiety level (p>0.05).
Approximately 25% of the information provided to patients about UDS is forgotten within the first few hours, with increasing rate over 40% in just three months. A lower education level is associated with a poorer ability to retain this information.

Communication with the patient and their ability to remember the information provided are essential for managing expectations. This is particularly relevant for chronic patients treated in Functional Urology Units. This study emphasizes the importance of providing patients with information that is appropriate and tailored to their specific context. Improving communication can enhance information retention, which is a crucial step toward achieving better self-management, greater adherence, and ultimately better health outcomes for the patient.