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The challenges of treating women with recurrent urinary tract infections in primary care: a qualitative study of GPs’ experiences of conventional management and their attitudes towards possible herbal options

The challenges of treating women with recurrent urinary tract infections in primary care: a qualitative study of GPs’ experiences of conventional management and their attitudes towards possible herbal options
The challenges of treating women with recurrent urinary tract infections in primary care: a qualitative study of GPs’ experiences of conventional management and their attitudes towards possible herbal options
Aim To explore GPs’ experiences of managing recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) and their views on the use of herbal medicines for this condition.

Background RUTIs are an important problem commonly managed in primary care. Antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective treatment for acute infections but growing microbial resistance, adverse effects, and the lack of sustained long-term benefits mean that novel treatments are required. There are a number of promising reports of herbal medicines being used to treat RUTIs.

Methods A total of 15 GPs (seven female; aged 34–59 years; in practice from 3 to 31 years) were purposively sampled and took part in semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Data collection and analysis proceeded iteratively to allow emerging themes to inform subsequent interviews.

Findings Participants were aware of the disabling effect of RUTIs on women’s lives. GPs experienced significant challenges in their management of RUTIs with decisions about the provision of antibiotics being particularly complex. While some participants were open to the possibility of herbal treatment options they required more research into effectiveness and safety, better regulation of herbal practitioners, and assurance about herbal quality control and potential herb–drug interactions.
1463-4236
1-10
Flower, Andrew
5256a2c8-6e74-49be-acc8-463ed3c18c6a
Winters, David
228ab1ef-6d02-49ab-870a-94b3377e2f0b
Bishop, Felicity L.
1f5429c5-325f-4ac4-aae3-6ba85d079928
Lewith, George
0fc483fa-f17b-47c5-94d9-5c15e65a7625
Flower, Andrew
5256a2c8-6e74-49be-acc8-463ed3c18c6a
Winters, David
228ab1ef-6d02-49ab-870a-94b3377e2f0b
Bishop, Felicity L.
1f5429c5-325f-4ac4-aae3-6ba85d079928
Lewith, George
0fc483fa-f17b-47c5-94d9-5c15e65a7625

Flower, Andrew, Winters, David, Bishop, Felicity L. and Lewith, George (2015) The challenges of treating women with recurrent urinary tract infections in primary care: a qualitative study of GPs’ experiences of conventional management and their attitudes towards possible herbal options. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 1-10. (doi:10.1017/S1463423615000201).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aim To explore GPs’ experiences of managing recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) and their views on the use of herbal medicines for this condition.

Background RUTIs are an important problem commonly managed in primary care. Antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective treatment for acute infections but growing microbial resistance, adverse effects, and the lack of sustained long-term benefits mean that novel treatments are required. There are a number of promising reports of herbal medicines being used to treat RUTIs.

Methods A total of 15 GPs (seven female; aged 34–59 years; in practice from 3 to 31 years) were purposively sampled and took part in semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Data collection and analysis proceeded iteratively to allow emerging themes to inform subsequent interviews.

Findings Participants were aware of the disabling effect of RUTIs on women’s lives. GPs experienced significant challenges in their management of RUTIs with decisions about the provision of antibiotics being particularly complex. While some participants were open to the possibility of herbal treatment options they required more research into effectiveness and safety, better regulation of herbal practitioners, and assurance about herbal quality control and potential herb–drug interactions.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 20 February 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 16 March 2015
Published date: 2015
Organisations: Primary Care & Population Sciences, Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 375242
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/375242
ISSN: 1463-4236
PURE UUID: d0fc7836-3386-4f0f-8e24-3169e2ce883b
ORCID for Felicity L. Bishop: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-8737-6662

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 17 Mar 2015 14:56
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:15

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Contributors

Author: Andrew Flower
Author: David Winters
Author: George Lewith

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