AWARENESS AND PREVALENCE OF URINARY TRACT INFECTION IN PREGNANT AND NON-PREGNANT FEMALES IN SAUDI ARABIA
Abstract
Introduction Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, particularly among women, with Escherichia coli being the primary causative agent. Susceptibility to the condition is heightened by anatomical differences and pregnancy. Despite the high occurrence of UTIs, awareness of risk factors and complications remains low among women, as indicated by recent studies. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and prevalence of UTIs among pregnant and non-pregnant Saudi women. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study involving 157 female participants from Saudi Arabia, aged 17 and above. Data were collected using an online questionnaire assessing UTI prevalence, symptoms, knowledge, and sociodemographic factors. Data were cleaned in Excel and analyzed via IBM SPSS. Results Our study included 157 participants, mostly Saudi nationals (139, 88.5%), with a majority from the Western region (111, 70.7%). Most of them had a Bachelor's degree (120, 76.4%), and 65 of them (41.4%) were employed. UTI prevalence was 17.8% (n = 28). Among non-pregnant participants, 17.6% (n = 27) were diagnosed with a UTI, compared to 25% (n = 1) among pregnant participants. Significant UTI prevalence was observed among housewives (42.9%, p = 0.015), divorced/widowed participants (42.9%, p = 0.013), and those with chronic diseases (38.5%, p = 0.009). UTI knowledge varied significantly by region (Eastern region: 10.0 ± 0.0, p = 0.003), education (Master’s/PhD: 7.5 ± 1.8, p = 0.004), and marital status (married: 6.8 ± 1.7, p < 0.001). Nationality (p = 1.000) and pregnancy status (p = 1.000) showed no significant associations with UTI prevalence. Conclusion Our study identified significant associations between UTI prevalence and factors such as employment status, marital status, and the presence of chronic diseases. UTI knowledge was influenced by region, education, and marital status. However, pregnancy status and nationality did not demonstrate a significant impact on UTI prevalence