Knowledge about urology in the general population: alarming results.

Introduction: For different reasons, urology appears to be one of the least known specialties in medicine. In this study, the main objective was to measure the knowledge about urology in the general population. Methods: A questionnaire was completed by 150 respondents. Seventy-five respondents were from Sherbrooke, QC (a French-speaking city) and 75 were from Burlington, VT (an English-speaking city). Results: Of the 150 respondents, 75% (113) said they knew little or nothing about urology and 63% (95) did not know that urology involves surgery. Also, when asked to name 3 diseases within the field of urology, 59% (89) of the respondents were unable to name at least 1 disease. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the lack of knowledge about urology in the general population. As urologists, we have to consider the need to conduct an informational campaign to increase the awareness of urology and the services urologists provide.