Prevalence and risk factors of presumptive urinary tract infection in a rural community

Urinary tract infection [UTI] is an important and less investigated public health problem. Community-based information regarding magnitude and determinants of UTI is inadequate in South-Asia including Pakistan. This study reports prevalence and risk factors of UTI in a rural community of Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. Trained female interviewers conducted the interviews using a pre-tested Sindhi questionnaire during a cross-sectional survey carried out in 8 villages of rural Jamshoro, Sindh from July-September 1997. Women reporting increased frequency of urine with burning sensation, with or without feeling of pain or fever while passing urine during the 3 months prior to interview were presumed to have UTI. No laboratory tests were performed to confirm it. We interviewed 738 ever married women with 2% refusal rate. One hundred twenty-five women [17%] had symptoms consistent with UTI, while 18% reproductive age women [15-49] were using a modern contraceptive. Women with UTI were 2.7 times more likely to be current user of Intra-uterine contraceptive device[IUCD]/condom [95% CI, 1.3-5.6], and 1.6 times more likely to be housewives by occupation [95% CI, 1.0 - 3.0] as compared to women who did not have UTI. UTI among IUCD/condom users may reflect existence of unhygienic conditions during application of procedure or spread of infection by the thread of IUCD. The quality of life is affected in women with UTI and may have serious consequences of developing renal damage. This warrants greater attention for reproductive health needs of the women, and health education for hygienic/safe use of family planning methods

Prevalence and risk factors of symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease in a rural community of Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

[1]. To estimate the prevalence of symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease [PID] in rural Jamshoro, Sindh, [2]. To assess specific social and biological risk factors of symptoms of PID. METHODOLOGY: Trained females conducted the interviews using a pre-tested Sindhi questionnaire during a cross-sectional survey carried out in 8 villages of rural Jamshoro, Sindh. Women reporting either lower abdominal pain or vaginal discharge with continuous or intermittent fever during the 6 months prior to interview, were classified as having PID symptoms. We approached 753 ever-married women and successfully interviewed 738 [98%] from July-September 1997. Sixty-five women [9%] had symptoms consistent with PID, and 156 [24%] reported ever using a modern contraceptive. Symptomatic women were 3.6 times more likely to have ever used IUCD/tubal ligation [95% CI, 1.9-6.9], 1.8 times more likely to have married at earlier age [< 15] [95% CI, 1.1-3], and 3 times more likely to be housewives by occupation [95% CI, 10-8.4] as compared to women who did not have PID symptoms. Symptoms of PID among tubal ligation/IUCD users may reflect existence of unhygienic conditions during application of procedure, delay in replacement of IUCD and mismatching in the size of IUCD with uterus. The quality of life is affected in women with PID symptoms and may have serious consequences like infertility. These symptoms need thorough evaluation/investigation to gauge the magnitude and nature of the problem and to guide intervention, effective promotion of women's socio-economic status, health education regarding counselling for delaying age at marriage and hygienic/safe use of family planning methods