Occurrence of urinary tract infection and preventive strategies practiced by female students at a tertiary care teaching institution

Prevalence of recurrent urinary tract infections and its associated factors in female staff of reproductive age group in a medical college in central Kerala: a cross-sectional study

AIM

To study the prevalence of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and its associated factors in female staff of reproductive age group in a medical college in central Kerala.

INTRODUCTION

Recurrent UTIs can be defined as ≥ 3 episodes of UTIs within a period of 12 months. Females with recurrent UTIs have lower health-related quality of life compared to the general population; the incidence of UTI in women of reproductive age group is very common. This study focused on female employees of reproductive age group in a private medical college.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was done among female staff of reproductive age group in a private medical college in central Kerala, with a sample size of 417. All female staff (18-49 years) were given a questionnaire and asked to fill it out. All those who filled out the questionnaire were included in the study according to both inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data entry and analysis were performed via Microsoft Excel 2019 and SPSS version 22.0.

RESULT

Our study of 417 participants revealed a prevalence of recurrent UTIs of 22.30% (95% CI = 18.3- 26.3%). Recurrent UTI was significantly associated with daily water intake, urination frequency, holding urine, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, constipation, pre-coital urination, and pre- and post-intercourse vaginal hygiene. Also, occupation was found to be significantly associated with recurrent UTI, with cleaning staff having higher odds.

CONCLUSION

Our study found the prevalence of recurrent UTI in 417 population as 22.30%. Prevention of recurrent UTI requires a daily intake of > 2 L of water and personal & sexual hygiene. Reducing recurrent UTIs enhances quality of life. Educating female staff is crucial.

Comprehensive insights into UTIs: from pathophysiology to precision diagnosis and management

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common infectious disease, predominantly impacting women with 150 million individuals affected globally. It increases the socio-economic burden of society and is mainly caused by Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., and Staphylococcus spp. The severity of the infection correlates with the host factors varying from acute to chronic infections. Even with a high incidence rate, the diagnosis is mainly based on the symptoms, dipstick analysis, and culture analysis, which are time-consuming, labour-intensive, and lacking sensitivity and specificity. During this period, medical professionals prescribe empirical antibiotics, which may increase the antimicrobial resistance rate. Timely and precise UTI diagnosis is essential for addressing antibiotic resistance and improving overall quality of life. In response to these challenges, new techniques are emerging. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the global burden of UTIs, associated risk factors, implicated organisms, traditional and innovative diagnostic methods, and approaches to UTI treatment and prevention.

Incidence of Urinary Infections and Behavioral Risk Factors

This evaluation of the impact of behavioral risk factors on the incidence of urinary infections was based on a questionnaire in which 1103 respondents, predominantly women (883), participated. From the statistical processing of the data, it was observed that 598 of the respondents were of normal weight; the rest, more than half, were underweight or overweight (χ2 = 32.46, p < 0.001), with male respondents being predominantly overweight or obese (169 out of a total of 220). Most of the respondents were young (χ2 = 15.45, p < 0.001), under the age of 45 (840). According to the processed data, it was found that respondents in the age group of 26-35 years showed the greatest vulnerability to recurrent urinary infections, while the age group of 18-25 years recorded the highest number of responses related to the rare presence or even absence of episodes of urinary infections. A body weight-related vulnerability was also noted among the respondents; the majority of obese people declared that they face frequent episodes of urinary infections. Regarding diet quality, 210 respondents reported an adherence to an unhealthy diet, 620 to a moderately healthy diet, and 273 to a healthy diet. Of the respondents who adhered to a healthy diet, 223 were women (χ2 = 2.55, p = 0.279). There was a close connection between diet quality and the frequency of urinary infections: from the statistical processing of the data, it was observed that the highest percentage of respondents who rarely (57.14%) or never got urinary infections (29.30%) were among those who adhered to a healthy diet, and the highest percentage of those who declared that they often got urinary infections were among those with increased adherence to an unhealthy diet (χ2 = 13.46, p = 0.036). The results of this study highlight a strong impact of obesity, reduced consumption of fruit and vegetables, and sedentary lifestyle on the risk of recurring urinary infections.