Complicated UTI Quality of Life Study

COMPLICATED urinary tract infections had a wider impact on health-related quality of life than clinicians consistently recognised, according to a qualitative study that identified important differences between patient experiences and clinician perceptions. 

Although health related quality of life is increasingly recognised as an important outcome in infection research, little evidence has compared how patients and clinicians describe the effects of complicated urinary tract infections. Researchers therefore explored where these perspectives aligned and diverged, with the aim of informing future patient centred clinical trials and improving communication in clinical practice. 

The qualitative study involved semistructured interviews with 12 hospitalised patients with complicated urinary tract infections and 16 clinicians who had cared for them for at least 2 days at two academic hospitals. Interviews were conducted between February and May 2023 and analysed using directed content matrix and team based qualitative methods. The patient cohort had a median age of 70 years, while clinicians had a median age of 35 years. 

Clinician Perspectives Differed from Patient Experiences 

Analysis identified four key themes describing differences between patient and clinician perspectives on health-related quality of life. 

Researchers found that clinicians did not consistently recognise the full extent to which symptoms affected patients’ daily functioning. While patients described a broad range of physical, emotional, and functional consequences, clinicians often focused more heavily on medical factors and the anticipated clinical course, particularly when considering whether symptoms could be attributed directly to the urinary tract infection. 

Patients and clinicians also used different language and varying levels of detail when discussing health related quality of life. These differences suggested that important aspects of the patient experience may not always be captured during routine clinical assessment. 

Although clinicians generally agreed that health related quality of life was an important consideration, their confidence and experience in addressing these issues varied considerably. 

Supporting More Patient Centred Outcomes 

The researchers concluded that important differences exist between how patients and clinicians perceive and describe the impact of complicated urinary tract infections on health related quality of life. 

They suggested these findings could help inform the development of disease specific patient reported health related quality of life tools for antibacterial clinical trials, enabling outcomes to better reflect patients’ lived experiences. Improved understanding of these differing perspectives may also strengthen patient clinician communication and support more patient centred care for people with complicated urinary tract infections. 

Reference 

Howard-Anderson J et al. Comparing patient and clinician perceptions of health-related quality of life in urinary tract infections. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9;(7):e2618822. 

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