THE IMPACT OF CATHETERS IN THE WORKING WORLD
We recently asked catheter users to share their experience regarding living with a catheter. These series of short blogs are intended to address some of the common responses we found.
One of the most consistently reported problems with catheter users is trying to manage in the working world. According to our recent survey of 172 male catheter users (and their carers), 81% told us that having a catheter negatively affected their attitudes towards leaving the house, travel or going to work. It’s a common complaint that we hear where men are dreading a shift, avoiding meetings, or quietly wondering how much longer they can keep managing this on the job. But it is worth addressing because it is one of the easiest aspects to fix when living with a long-term catheter.
How does having a catheter impact you in the workplace?
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A landmark study on people living with long-term indwelling catheters found a clear and statistically significant difference: workers and employees reported poorer catheter-related quality of life than people who were retired. That's a striking finding and suggests something about the demands of a working day specifically, not just catheter use in general, makes the condition harder to manage well.
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A large cross-sectional study of people with spinal cord lesions found that around one in five reported impairments while working due to urinary problems, regardless of whether they used intermittent or indwelling catheterisation. It also found that disease-specific quality of life correlated closely with work productivity and the ability to carry out regular daily activities. The same research noted that performing catheter care away from home was itself a specific, named challenge, distinct from the general burden of the condition.
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Separate research on overactive bladder and other lower urinary tract symptoms in working adults found these conditions were consistently associated with lower work productivity, and a more recent study on urinary incontinence severity found a direct, measurable relationship between symptom severity and reduced workplace productivity. Together, these findings suggest the workplace difficulty isn't really about catheters as a device but instead is about the practical challenge of managing any bladder condition within a working day that wasn't designed with that in mind. Things like fixed break times, limited privacy, shared toilets, and long stretches between opportunities to manage equipment can all contribute to lower productivity for those managing with long term catheters and other bladder issues.
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Research into the needs of people living with long-term catheters has highlighted that better self-care education and evidence-based support materials reduce distress and increase confidence in managing the catheter day to day. This could also point to practical workplace strategy as the missing piece for many men, rather than the catheter itself being incompatible with working life.
What should you know that can help you in the workplace?
1. Know your legal position before you raise it.
In the UK, incontinence and catheter use can be classed as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, provided the condition has a substantial, long-term effect on day-to-day activities. This means your employer has a legal duty to consider "reasonable adjustments". This is focused on changes that remove or reduce a disadvantage you face because of your condition, and it's unlawful for them to treat you unfairly for asking. You don't need a formal diagnosis on record to request this; the law focuses on the effect on your day-to-day functioning.
2. Ask for specific, practical adjustments.
Guidance from ACAS and workplace-inclusion charities suggests adjustments don't have to be dramatic or expensive with most costing under £100, and many that cost nothing. For catheter users, relevant examples include more frequent or flexible toilet breaks, being seated near a toilet or given priority access, a private space to manage equipment, and a bin provided for discreet disposal of continence products.
3. Use the Access to Work scheme if you're in the UK.
This government scheme can fund practical support that goes beyond what your employer is expected to provide, including workplace assessments to identify exactly what would help in your specific role. It isn't a replacement for your employer's legal duty, but it can strengthen a request, and cover costs your employer might otherwise be reluctant to take on alone.
4. Disclose on your terms but do it early enough to matter.
You're never obliged to share your condition, but disability advice services note that raising it before you urgently need an adjustment, rather than after a difficult moment at work, gives your employer time to act, and protects you if a later absence or performance issue turns out to be linked to your condition.
5. Build a discreet workplace routine.
Practical steps that patient organisations recommend include: keeping a small kit of spares at your desk or locker rather than only at home, plan catheter changes or bag emptying around natural breaks in your schedule rather than waiting for a lull, and if travelling between sites, treat commuting time the way you would travel time, with backup supplies always within reach.
Where cymactive™ fits in
The research above points to a specific mismatch; working life often runs on fixed schedules and shared facilities, while a bag-based system runs on its own capacity and timing. cymactive™ is a patient-controlled magnetic valve system that lets you manage drainage on your own terms, without wearing an external bag that needs monitoring and emptying through the working day. For some men, that removes one of the named pressures identified in the research.
Find out more about cymactive™ by visiting our website here or using the below form to contact us!
Please note: this article is not intended as medical or legal advice and we would urge you to talk to your Healthcare Professional or appropriate legal services.
References
"Living With a Long-term, Indwelling Urinary Catheter" — quality-of-life comparison between workers and retirees.
"Impact of urinary catheters including reusable catheters on quality of life and work productivity in persons with spinal cord lesion," Scientific Reports (2024).
"Impact of overactive bladder on work productivity in the United States: results from EpiLUTS," BJU International.
"Urinary incontinence severity: the impact on workplace productivity," World Journal of Urology (2025).
"Exploring the information needs of people living with a long-term indwelling urinary catheter: A qualitative study."
Bladder & Bowel Community, "Incontinence and Discrimination" — Equality Act 2010 guidance.
Acas, "Reasonable adjustments at work"; Prospects, "How to apply for reasonable adjustments" (Access to Work scheme).