An Investigation of Risk Factors for Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent infections in humans. Untreated lower UTIs can progress to severe conditions, including kidney involvement and significant renal damage. Identifying UTI risk factors is crucial for effective management of these infections. This study aimed to determine the frequency of risk factors for bacterial UTIs. Materials and Methods: A total of 157 patients referred to Shahid Mohammadi Hospital and Hormoz Clinic, Bandar Abbas, in 2021 were enrolled in this descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study. Data on age, gender, history of hospitalization, urologic surgery, underlying diseases (diabetes, renal stones, hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH], and chronic kidney disease [CKD]), urinary catheterization, prior antibiotic use, and urine culture results were collected and analyzed using SPSS 26. Results: Participants had a mean age of 53.04±19.27 years, with 91 (58%) males and 66 (42%) females. Bacterial UTIs were diagnosed in 61 patients (38.9%). History of hospitalization, urologic surgery, antibiotic use, and urinary catheterization were reported in 47.1%, 9.6%, 42.7%, and 26.1% of patients, respectively. Overall, 78 patients (49.7%) had at least one underlying disease, including diabetes (19.7%), hypertension (32.5%), CKD (6.4%), BPH (7.6%), and renal stones (14.6%). Among males, 12 (13.2%) had BPH. Logistic regression analysis showed no significant correlation between these risk factors and UTI. Conclusion: Over one-third of patients had bacterial UTIs. Older age, female gender, underlying diseases, urologic surgery, urinary catheterization, and antibiotic use are potential UTI risk factors, but larger prospective studies are needed to confirm their association.