Construction of a patient decision aid for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection in primary care

Abstract

Background: Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) is a frequent disorder in general practice. The risk of developing pyelonephritis remains low after uUTI, nonetheless, empiric antibiotic therapy is frequently prescribed for symptomatic purposes. This can lead to adverse effects and antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, patients sometimes wish to avoid taking antibiotics. Some European countries recommend discussing a delayed prescription with the patient and developing a shared decision. The aim of our study is to develop a patient decision aid (PtDA) that can be used in primary care to make a shared decision about whether to treat uUTI with antibiotics or not.Methods: We followed the steps recommended by the International Patient Decision Aids Standards, with a scoping phase, a design phase (including focus groups and literature review),and an alpha-testing phase. A steering group, made up of patients and physicians, met throughout the study to develop a draft and then a final version of a prototype PtDA.Results: The information included in the PtDA is the definition of uUTI, information on the options, their benefits, risks, and consequences, based on a review of the literature. The results of the focus group made it possible to determine the patient's values and preferences to be considered in decision-making, namely: the discomfort felt, the impact on daily life, the representations of antibiotics, and the position relative to the risk of adverse effect. The choices of presentation, organisation and design are the result of the work of the steering group, improved by feedback from alpha testing.Conclusions: Our results confirm a need for shared decision-making and the equipoise in this situation. More advice from outside physicians is still lacking. This PtDA needs to be validated in a beta-testing phase, and then tested in a clinical study comparing its use with the systematic prescription approach.