{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,31]],"date-time":"2026-10-31T05:25:30Z","timestamp":1793424330690,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":16,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,6]],"date-time":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1707177600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,6]],"date-time":"2024-02-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1707177600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Women's Health"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are one of the most common community-acquired infections, particularly among women. Common symptoms of UTI include dysuria, urinary urgency and increased frequency, and lower abdominal pain. With appropriate treatment, symptoms may resolve in a few days. However, there is a lack of research on the emotional impact of this disease. We conducted a qualitative, interview-based study to gain a greater understanding of the emotional impact of uUTIs in women in China and Japan.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>A qualitative, exploratory, in-depth, interview-based study was conducted between 19 November 2020 and 25 February 2021. Women aged\u2009\u2265\u200918 years who experienced\u2009\u2265\u20091 uUTI and received antibiotic treatment in the past year were eligible for inclusion. Participants must have experienced\u2009\u2265\u20091 of the following symptoms during a uUTI episode: urinary urgency, frequency, dysuria, or lower abdominal\/suprapubic pain. Participants who reported back pain or fever (indicative of complicated UTI) were excluded. Participants with recurrent or sporadic UTIs were included, with specific screening criteria used to ensure capture of both groups. Following a screening call, a structured, in-depth telephone interview (~\u200930\u00a0min in duration) was conducted by three female external moderators trained in qualitative interviewing, assisted by an interview guide. Interviews were analysed individually and thematically, with the results presented within the identified themes.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>A total of 65 women with uUTI completed the in-depth telephone interview: 40 (62%) from China and 25 (38%) from Japan. Participants reported that the symptoms of uUTI affected multiple aspects of their lives, and described feelings of embarrassment, frustration, guilt, dread, and loneliness associated with symptoms that interfered with relationships, work and daily activities, and sleep. Participants reported seeking healthcare from several different points of contact, from local pharmacies to hospitals.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Our analysis highlights the profound emotional impact of uUTIs in women in China and Japan, and the journey these participants take before their initial interaction with a healthcare professional. These insights emphasise the need to better understand the full impact of uUTI, and the role of healthcare professionals in improved patient education and support.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-023-02675-8","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,6]],"date-time":"2024-02-06T07:02:07Z","timestamp":1707202927000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["The emotional impact of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women in China and Japan: a qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Zhao","family":"Yun","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Danielle","family":"Powell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aruni","family":"Mulgirigama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jun","family":"Miyazaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"2675_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1177\/1756287219832172","volume":"11","author":"M Medina","year":"2019","unstructured":"Medina M, Castillo-Pino E. An introduction to the epidemiology and burden of urinary tract infections. Ther Adv Urol. 2019;11:3\u20137.","journal-title":"Ther Adv Urol"},{"key":"2675_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1038\/nrmicro3432","volume":"13","author":"AL Flores-Mireles","year":"2015","unstructured":"Flores-Mireles AL, Walker JN, Caparon M, Hultgren SJ. Urinary tract infections: epidemiology, mechanisms of infection and treatment options. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2015;13:269\u201384.","journal-title":"Nat Rev Microbiol"},{"key":"2675_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1080\/23744235.2020.1834138","volume":"53","author":"H Kornf\u00e4lt Isberg","year":"2021","unstructured":"Kornf\u00e4lt Isberg H, Hedin K, Melander E, M\u00f6lstad S, Beckman A. Uncomplicated urinary tract infection in primary health care: presentation and clinical outcome. Infect Dis (Lond). 2021;53:94\u2013101.","journal-title":"Infect Dis (Lond)"},{"key":"2675_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"j4784","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.j4784","volume":"359","author":"A Kronenberg","year":"2017","unstructured":"Kronenberg A, B\u00fctikofer L, Odutayo A, M\u00fchlemann K, da Costa BR, Battaglia M, et al. Symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in the ambulatory setting: randomised, double blind trial. BMJ. 2017;359:j4784.","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"2675_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.33073\/pjm-2019-048","volume":"68","author":"B Kot","year":"2019","unstructured":"Kot B. Antibiotic resistance among uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Pol J Microbiol. 2019;68:403\u201315.","journal-title":"Pol J Microbiol"},{"key":"2675_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.11622\/smedj.2016153","volume":"57","author":"CW Tan","year":"2016","unstructured":"Tan CW, Chlebicki MP. Urinary tract infections in adults. Singapore Med J. 2016;57:485\u201390.","journal-title":"Singap Med J"},{"key":"2675_CR7","first-page":"494","volume":"115","author":"A Klingeberg","year":"2018","unstructured":"Klingeberg A, Noll I, Willrich N, Feig M, Emrich D, Zill E, et al. Antibiotic-resistant E. coli in uncomplicated community-acquired urinary tract infection. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115:494\u2013500.","journal-title":"Dtsch Arztebl Int"},{"key":"2675_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"dlab003","DOI":"10.1093\/jacamr\/dlab003","volume":"3","author":"AK Sugianli","year":"2021","unstructured":"Sugianli AK, Ginting F, Parwati I, de Jong MD, van Leth F, Schultsz C. Antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens in the Asia-Pacific region: a systematic review. 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Participants confirmed their understanding that findings from the interview may be published in an anonymised format. This study was non-clinical and was for participant insight purposes only. IRB approval was not required nor sought for participants in China or Japan, per the guidance of the Chinese 2016 Ethics Approval of Biomedical Research That Involves Human Subjects (National Health Commission; available from: ) and the Japanese 2021 Ethical Guidelines for Human Life Sciences and Medical Research (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; available from: ) and the study did not meet the requirements for needing ethical approval. Respondents were not classified as vulnerable, nor would participation induce undue psychological stress or anxiety.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"ZY has no conflict of interest to report. DP and AM are employees of and shareholders in GSK. JM has no conflict of interest to report.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"94"}}