Women’s experiences of the assessment and management of urinary tract infections during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative analysis of free-text comments from a national survey in England

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections affecting women. The COVID-19 pandemic altered how healthcare was accessed and resulted in the rapid adoption of remote technologies. This study explored patients’ experiences of consultations for UTIs in general practice during the pandemic. Methods: Women included in this study were ≥16 years, recruited via Ipsos’s online panels in England, reporting at least one episode of UTI symptoms in the previous year, and had sought a consultation with a healthcare professional. We analysed 799 responses to a free-text questions, using inductive thematic analysis, regarding their experiences. Results: We identified key themes related to (i) the consultation mode and healthcare professional consulted, (ii) UTI assessment and management, (iii) validation of UTI symptoms and experience and (iv) concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Positive aspects of care related to prompt and thorough assessment and treatment, consulting a healthcare professional (HCP) who validated their experience, while encouraging discussions about prevention and self-care. Negative aspects of care were related to long appointment waiting times, a lack of in-person consultation if desired and patients feeling uninformed and unvalidated about their UTIs. Conclusion: This study presents evidence that positive patient experience on UTI assessment and management is determined by the HCP involved, the mode of consultation and the application of shared decision-making to determine treatment. To improve satisfaction, systems and consultations should account for these patient preferences with shared decision-making approaches, adapted for remote consultations, to support discussions around UTI investigation and management.