Factors associated with regular episodes of dysuria among women in one rural general practice.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to ascertain the factors associated with frequency-dysuria (urethral) syndrome in a population of women. The study included all women aged 25 years and over on 1 May 1987 who had been registered with one rural, dispensing practice over the study period, 1 May 1985 to 1 May 1989. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to the women on 1 May 1987 and a second, similar, questionnaire was sent two years later. A total of 721 women responded to the two questionnaires (response rate 97%). Regular symptoms of frequency and dysuria were reported by 8% of women in 1987 and 14% in 1989. Four percent of women reported symptoms throughout the four year study period. Symptoms were found to be least common in the 55-74 years age group. Although none of the women who were sexually inactive reported regular symptoms no association was reported between recent sexual intercourse and symptoms. Neither was an association demonstrated between type of contraception used and symptoms. However, it was found that premenopausal women reported significantly more symptoms than postmenopausal women. The number of women involved in this study was too small to allow the importance of change of sexual partner to be determined. Significantly more of the women who reported regular symptoms had been treated for urinary tract infection than of those who did not report regular symptoms. Although a history of regular frequency and dysuria points to a diagnosis of urethral syndrome, general practitioners must assess each case in order to exclude urinary tract infection.