Women’s views about management and cause of urinary tract infection: qualitative interview study

Objectives To explore the views of women with urinary tract infection on the acceptability of different strategies for managing the infection, including delayed use of antibiotics, and the cause of infection

Cost effectiveness of management strategies for urinary tract infections: results from randomised controlled trial

Study question: What are the costs and cost effectiveness of different management strategies for urinary tract infection in women as shown by the results from a randomised controlled trial?Summary answer: Dipstick testing with targeted antibiotics is likely to be cost effective if the value of saving a day of moderately bad symptoms is valued at £10 or more, but caution is required given the uncertainty surrounding the estimates.What is known and what this paper adds: There is limited information on the economic implications of common management strategies for urinary tract infections in primary care. This paper provides estimates of the costs and effectiveness of commonly used strategies

The journey from self-care to GP care: a qualitative interview study of women presenting with symptoms of urinary tract infection

Background: urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the commonest acute infections presenting to primary care. Little is known of women's experiences of UTI; self-care strategies and key triggers for their consulting behaviour are also little known. Aim: to explore women's experiences of self-care and their journey to GP care, when faced with symptoms of a UTI. Design of study: qualitative semi-structured interview study with women recruited to a larger UK trial of different management strategies for UTI. Setting: general practices across four counties in southern England. Method: twenty-one women were interviewed about the experiences they had prior to their GP visit, self-care strategies, and triggers for help seeking. Interviews were analysed thematically, using principles of analytic induction. Results: women reported a process of evaluation, monitoring, re-evaluation, and, finally, consulting in order to meet their needs. Four key triggers for consulting were identified: failure to alleviate symptoms through self-care; symptom duration and escalation; impeding normal functioning and the fulfilment of social roles; and concern that it may be or become a serious illness. Conclusion: although UTI is often self-limiting, when taking patient histories and formulating their management strategies clinicians need to take into account women's often painful experience, their efforts to resolve symptoms prior to consulting, and their fears that the symptoms may indicate something more serious than a UTI<br/