Review article

Incidence, Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections in Family Medicine Offi ces

Aleksandar Jovanović
Ranko Stevanović
Ivan Pristaš
Arsen Stanić
Marija Petrovčić
Vanesa Benković
Ines Gluhak
Marijan Merzel
Nevenka Krčmar

Abstract

Four family medicine offi ces found an incidence
of urinary infections greater than 5% in a sample of
7679 patients in a four-month research period. The disease is
more prevalent among younger males and older females. As
regards diagnoses, 44% were established without urine culture;
signifi cant differences were also found in antibiotic prescribed
for treatment of urinary infections. Diagnostic and therapeutic
guidelines should be standardized and adopted on the
healthcare system level. They should be used proactively and
interactively through software applications in family medicine
offi ces. In any suspected urinary infection, urine tests and urine
cultures should be made more accessible both to doctors and
patients. The benefi ts of this investment would be multiple –
reduced complications and more rational prescription of antibiotics.
In fact, the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance should
stimulate laboratory tests including the antibiotic sensitivity test,
instead of treating it as an unnecessary cost.

Keywords

urinary tract infections; incidence; diagnostic; therapy; family medicine offi ce

Hrčak ID:

18152

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/18152

Publication date:

29.12.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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