Self-Efficacy and Quality of Life (QOL) in Women of Reproductive Age with Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26463/rjns.15_2_3Keywords:
UTIs, Women, QOL, <i>Escherichia coli, Klebsiella</i> speciesAbstract
Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most frequently observed among women of reproductive age in both community and healthcare settings. About 50-60% of women suffer from UTIs at least once in their lifetime, and one out of four suffer from recurrences. UTIs significantly affect a person’s quality of life (QOL). Recurrent UTIs are a serious problem for women and pose challenges for healthcare providers.
Objective: To assess the self-efficacy and quality of life (QOL) of women with the aim of developing a nurse-led prevention program.
Methods: A quantitative approach with a descriptive design was used. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit 120 women attending OPD of a selected hospital who tested positive for urine culture, presented with UTI symptoms, and were seeking treatment. Tools for data collection included the RAND SF-36 scale for QOL and a self-efficacy scale.
Results: The mean age of women was 27.76±8.13 years. Recurrent infections were encountered in 73.4% women. Urine culture reports identified Escherichia coli in 85% cases and Klebsiella species in 15% cases as the causal organisms. Typical symptoms included pain/burning micturition (99.2%), frequent urination (94.1%), and urinary urgency (89.2%). The quality of life of women in the physical domain and mental domains were 56.26±17.64 and 57.21±17.07 respectively. The self-efficacy of women with UTI was 28.13±4.35. No correlation was found between self-efficacy and QOL. A significant association was found between the physical domain of QOL and the source of information received (f=4.820, P=0.031), as well as between self-efficacy and the source of information on UTI (f=5.312, P =0.024).
Conclusion: A limited QOL and moderate self-efficacy were seen among women with UTIs, affecting their daily life activities and well-being. This indicates the need to develop nurse-led preventive interventions for tackling urinary tract infections.
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