Exploring the Experiences and Information Needs of Parents Caring fora Child With a Urinary Tract Infection: A Qualitative Study

摘要

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children, however, clinicalpractice variations can leave parents unsure how to care for their child. We aimto develop knowledge tools that provide evidence-based information aboutpediatric UTIs. To inform tool development, we asked parents to share theirexperiences and information needs in caring for a child with a UTI. Usingqualitative description methods, 16 semistructured interviews were conductedwith 18 parents. Parents were recruited through the emergency department (ED) ofa major Canadian urban pediatric hospital. Five major themes emerged: (1) parentdescriptions of their child’s symptoms and behaviors; (2) UTIs have an effect onthe entire family; (3) reasons for going to the ED; (4) parent experiences withUTI treatment, management, and follow-up strategies for their child; and (5)parent information needs and preferred information sources for UTIs. Ourfindings highlight the diversity of UTI symptoms children experience, whichcauses uncertainty and confusion for parents. This diversity suggests thedevelopment of knowledge tools for parents about UTIs is needed.