Key TakeawaysUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, especially for women. Approximately 50% of women experience a UTI in their lifetime.According to a new study, uncomplicated UTIs are often not treated appropriately, especially for people living in rural areas.People with UTIs are often given the wrong antibiotic or are prescribed an antibiotic for too long—both of which contribute to issues like antibiotic resistance.

Key Takeaways

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, especially for women. Approximately 50% of women experience a UTI in their lifetime.According to a new study, uncomplicated UTIs are often not treated appropriately, especially for people living in rural areas.People with UTIs are often given the wrong antibiotic or are prescribed an antibiotic for too long—both of which contribute to issues like antibiotic resistance.

A new study has found that it’s common for people with uncomplicatedurinary tract infections (UTI)to be given a treatment that is inappropriate. Additionally, people who live in rural settings are more likely to receive a prescription for antibiotics that is too long.

The study was published in the journalInfection Control & Hospital Immunologyin February 2021.

The research joins a growing body of evidence that doctors are often getting UTI treatment wrong. A 2018 study that included over 600,000 women diagnosed with a UTI found that over 75% of the prescriptions were for a longer time span than current guidelines recommend.

What Is a Urinary Tract Infection?

UTIs can becomplicatedoruncomplicated. Uncomplicated UTIs are common, especially in women, and are usually treated with an oral antibiotic. Complicated UTIs aremore commonly seen in menand children, and may need to be treated with a longer course of antibiotics or antibiotics given through an IV.

Almost Half of Prescriptions Are Wrong

Researchers used past private insurance claims to identify uncomplicated UTIs in 670,450 women between the ages of 18 and 44 years old.

Next, the researchers looked for UTI treatments documented in the claims. Using clinical guidelines, they noted when a prescribed treatment was inappropriate.

Of the over 600,000 women with uncomplicated UTIs, 46.7% received an antibiotic that was inappropriate for treatment and 76.1% were prescribed antibiotics for a longer duration than generally considered necessary.

“This study helps shed light on the importance of providers using evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of such a common condition,” Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT, an OBGYN, Certified Personal Trainer, and the owner ofPostpartumTrainer.comtells Verywell.

What Are the Guidelines for Prescribing Antibiotics?

Location Makes a Difference

The researchers also noted that the women who lived in rural areas were more likely to be prescribed longer courses of antibiotics than women in urban settings.

“These differences [among urban and rural women] may be related to several patient/provider level factors,” Pinkey Patel, PharmD, NASM-CPT, founder ofTheSnapBack.com, tells Verywell. “For example, rural women were more likely to receive longer treatment durations, possibly in an effort to avoid treatment failure-related healthcare encounters that require travel. Provider specialty and prescribing patterns are also other potential factors.”

Why Is Inappropriate UTI Treatment Concerning?

Whether the wrong medication is prescribed or the correct medication is given for too long, incorrect UTI treatment has consequences—some of which reach beyond a single patient.

Demosthenes says that the inappropriate use of antibiotics can cause side effects like allergic reactions and rashes. It can also contribute toantibiotic resistance, when “organisms build up a resistance to an antibiotic and that antibiotic no longer works well,” she says.

In fact, according to a study published inClinical Infectious Diseases,patients with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant UTIs are more likely to experience delays in clinical recovery after treatment with antibiotics.

Demosthenes says there are financial repercussions as well.

“On an individual level, antibiotics cost money for patients. On a societal level, the inappropriate use of antibiotics costs the health system money,” she says. “Saving money on care that does not improve health can be used in other areas that do improve health.”

Every Antibiotics Question You Have, Answered

Preventing UTIs

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. There are several things people can do to reduce their risk of getting a UTI.

Dietary Changes

Health Benefits of Cranberries

Fermented milk products containing probiotic bacteria (like kefir) are also associated with a decreased risk of recurrence of UTI, especially when consumed at least three times a week.

Lifestyle Changes

Along with the dietary changes, there are some other simple steps that you can take to keep your urinary tract healthy.

Cory Ruth, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and a women’s health expert, tells Verywell that her top recommendation for preventing uncomplicated UTI is to urinate after having intercourse to help flush out any unwanted bacteria that potentially entered the urethra.

How to Keep Your Urinary System Healthy

Other lifestyle changes that can helpprevent UTIsinclude:

If you do find yourself with a UTI, be proactive about your care. Ask your doctor to explain why the antibiotic that you’re being prescribed is appropriate for the specific bacteria causing the infection, as well as why it is being prescribed for a specific duration.

What This Means For YouIf you get a UTI, be proactive about your care. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, discuss the benefits and risks of taking them—especially for a longer course. You can also do things to prevent getting a UTI, like staying hydrated.

What This Means For You

If you get a UTI, be proactive about your care. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, discuss the benefits and risks of taking them—especially for a longer course. You can also do things to prevent getting a UTI, like staying hydrated.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24:1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21Durkin MJ, Keller M, Butler AM, et al.An assessment of inappropriate antibiotic use and guideline adherence for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.Open Forum Infect Dis. 2018 Aug 10;5(9):ofy198. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofy198Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.van Hecke O, Wang K, Lee JJ, Roberts NW, Butler CC.Implications of antibiotic resistance for patients' recovery from common infections in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 1;65(3):371-382. doi:10.1093/cid/cix233Fu Z, Liska D, Talan D, Chung M.Cranberry reduces the risk of urinary tract infection recurrence in otherwise healthy women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.J Nutr. 2017 Dec;147(12):2282-2288. doi:10.3945/jn.117.254961Kontiokari T, Laitinen J, Järvi L, Pokka T, Sundqvist K, Uhari M.Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection.Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Mar;77(3):600-4. doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.3.600

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24:1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21Durkin MJ, Keller M, Butler AM, et al.An assessment of inappropriate antibiotic use and guideline adherence for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.Open Forum Infect Dis. 2018 Aug 10;5(9):ofy198. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofy198Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.van Hecke O, Wang K, Lee JJ, Roberts NW, Butler CC.Implications of antibiotic resistance for patients' recovery from common infections in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 1;65(3):371-382. doi:10.1093/cid/cix233Fu Z, Liska D, Talan D, Chung M.Cranberry reduces the risk of urinary tract infection recurrence in otherwise healthy women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.J Nutr. 2017 Dec;147(12):2282-2288. doi:10.3945/jn.117.254961Kontiokari T, Laitinen J, Järvi L, Pokka T, Sundqvist K, Uhari M.Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection.Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Mar;77(3):600-4. doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.3.600

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24:1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21Durkin MJ, Keller M, Butler AM, et al.An assessment of inappropriate antibiotic use and guideline adherence for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.Open Forum Infect Dis. 2018 Aug 10;5(9):ofy198. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofy198Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.van Hecke O, Wang K, Lee JJ, Roberts NW, Butler CC.Implications of antibiotic resistance for patients' recovery from common infections in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 1;65(3):371-382. doi:10.1093/cid/cix233Fu Z, Liska D, Talan D, Chung M.Cranberry reduces the risk of urinary tract infection recurrence in otherwise healthy women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.J Nutr. 2017 Dec;147(12):2282-2288. doi:10.3945/jn.117.254961Kontiokari T, Laitinen J, Järvi L, Pokka T, Sundqvist K, Uhari M.Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection.Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Mar;77(3):600-4. doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.3.600

Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24:1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21

Durkin MJ, Keller M, Butler AM, et al.An assessment of inappropriate antibiotic use and guideline adherence for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.Open Forum Infect Dis. 2018 Aug 10;5(9):ofy198. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofy198

Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.

van Hecke O, Wang K, Lee JJ, Roberts NW, Butler CC.Implications of antibiotic resistance for patients' recovery from common infections in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 1;65(3):371-382. doi:10.1093/cid/cix233

Fu Z, Liska D, Talan D, Chung M.Cranberry reduces the risk of urinary tract infection recurrence in otherwise healthy women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.J Nutr. 2017 Dec;147(12):2282-2288. doi:10.3945/jn.117.254961

Kontiokari T, Laitinen J, Järvi L, Pokka T, Sundqvist K, Uhari M.Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection.Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Mar;77(3):600-4. doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.3.600

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