GPs’ perspectives on diagnosing childhood urinary tract infections: a qualitative study

Hanne Ann Boon; Ann Van den Bruel; Jan Y Verbakel

doi:10.3399/BJGP.2021.0589

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Diagnosis of childhood urinary tract infection (UTI) is challenging in the outpatient setting. GPs’ perspectives for the diagnostic workup of childhood UTI are not well understood. In this study, it was found that, assuming low UTI prevalence, the aspecific presentation of UTI in children and difficulties in urine collection were barriers to diagnosis of childhood UTI. Diagnostic uncertainty makes appropriate treatment challenging. Factors that might improve the diagnostic workup were novel non-invasive collection techniques, instructional material for the parents, skill training for GPs, decision support tools, accurate and easy-to-use point-of-care tests, and guidance on urine culture interpretation.

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Table 1.

Participant characteristics

Variables	N= 23
GP age
20–30 years	7
>30–40 years	11
>40–50 years	1
>50–60 years	2
>60 years	2

Years of medical experience
<5 years	6
>5–10 years	8
>10–20 years	4
>20–30 years	2
>30 years	3

Sex
Female	15
Male	8

Practice location (n= 21)
Rural	10
City	11

Type of practice (n= 21)
Solo or duo	7
≥3 GPs	14

Supplementary Data

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