Impact of Recurrent Urinary Infections on the Quality of Life of Women in Outpatient Care: a Case-control Study

Abstract

Background: The repetitive urinary tract infections impact women's quality of life and represent an important problem for women's physical and mental health, causing relevant social impacts. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of recurrent urinary tract infections on the quality of life of women with recurrent infections.Methods: This is a case-control study with 49 women with recurrent urinary tract infections, confirmed by urine culture, without complications and 49 women without recurrent urinary tract infections, seen at an outpatient clinic of a public teaching hospital in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Quality of life was evaluated using the Brazilian version of the World Health Organization's shortened questionnaire, the WHOQOL-Bref.Results: Women with urinary tract infections showed greater impairment of quality of life in the physical (p = 0.007) and psychological (p = 0.038) domains, with lower quality of life score in their self-assessment (p = 0.002), when compared to the group control. Women with recurrent urinary infection had mean scores significantly lower than the control group in the Energy and fatigue (p = 0.003), Positive feelings (p = 0.014), Self-esteem (p = 0.040), Dependence on medication (p = 0.029), Negative feelings (p = 0.023) and Recreation and leisure (p = 0, 0.041).Conclusions: Recurrent urinary tract infections have an important impact on the quality of life of women, especially in the Physical and Psychological domains, representing a significant problem for women, health professionals, and the health system.