INTRODUCTION:

The urinary system consists of the kidney, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra; the kidneys from the urine and accounts for the other functions attributed to urinary system.

The ureters carry the urine away from the kidneys to the urinary bladder which is temporary reservoir for the urine. The urethra is tubular structure that carries the urine from urinary bladder to outside.¹ The principle function of the urinary system to maintain the volume and composition of body fluids within the normal limits. One aspect of this function is to rid the body of waste products that accumulate as a result of cellular metabolism and because of this it is a sometimes referred to as excretory system.²

Urinary tract infection  is infection that affects the parts of urinary tract. When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as simple cystitis( bladder infection) and when it affect the upper tract it is known as pyelonephritis.( kidney infection). E.Coli is a cause of 80-85% of UTI and other like stones, DM, sexual activities, neurological disorders, catheterization. UTI is well known entity among females, occurring more than that in males due to shortness of female urethra. Prevalence has been reported at approximately 1.1% in school girls, 10% by the age of 50 years, 4-7% of childbearing –aged women. Every year 11% of women have at least one such infection and up to 60% of all women will develop UTI at some time in their lives. A third of these women will have a recurred within a year. UTI contributing to overall morbidity of females in all ages of their lives.²

The commonest presenting complaint of UTI in adolescent girls is dysuria and coupled with an initial reaction of fear and apprehension at menarche in majority of girls. There would be a general false belief regarding cause of UTI and its prevention. Negligence of UTI leads to future complications like renal calculi, renal failure in extreme conditions.³ There are number of general guidelines to avoid urinary tract infections in most instances. The effective preventive measures are able to block this bacterial migration. Take showers and avoid prolonged baths, wash the perineum from front to back. Tampons are advised during menstrual period rather than sanitary napkins or pads they keep bladder opening areas dry and prevent bacterial growth.⁴ Do not hold urine for long. Do not wear tight fitting undergarments made of non breathing material. Drink more water. Cranberry juice and pills are effective in reducing urinary infections. Avoid use of spermicidal gels as they kill sperms and normal vaginal flora, which is important in suppressing the colonization of pathogenic bacteria.⁵

If the infection occurs in spite of preventive measures, promptly seek medical help. A urine specimen, examination of bladder, kidney radiography is done to diagnose the UTI. An estrogen vaginal creams help to resist bladder infections. Take antiboitics like sulphonamides (gentol and bactrim) with course of 10-21 days.⁴

A cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on epidemiological differences of lower tract symptoms among female subpopulation and group level interventions in karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh. Sample selected for study was 75 working women and 180 adolsecent girls. Data collection was done by a structured questionnaire. The study results show overall prevalence of lower urinary tract infection among three groups was 18.5 percent and in that, the prevalence among adolescents girls, housewives and working women was 29, 21 and 13 percent respectively. The high prevalence in adolescents girls appear to be due to use of unsanitary pads during menstruation, practicing improper anal washing technique, having vaginal discharge, malnourishment, having pinworms in stools and using bad toilets. The educational interventions done through adolescents girls were successful in reducing the risk factors. The researcher concluded that adolescents girls had less knowledge regarding prevention of urinary tract infections and by providing planned teaching interventions the occurrence of urinary tract infection in adolescent girls can be prevented.⁶

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Research approach and research design:

Quantitative descriptive research design was used to collect data required for the study

Setting of study:

Present study was conducted in the S.G.R.D Nursing Hostel Vallah, Amritsar.

Population:

The populations of this study were Nursing Students

Sample:

Nursing students were sample for this study.

Sampling Technique:

Convenient Sampling was used to collect the samples

Sample size:

54 Nursing Students.

Development & description of Tool:

The tool used for this study was structured Questionnaire schedule was selected. The tool consist of two sections-

Section A - Questionnaire to collect demographic data of Nursing Students

Section B- Structured Questionnaire schedule to assess the knowledge regarding prevalence and risk factors of urinary tract infection among the Nursing Students

It consists of 30 questions related to UTI.

Ethical consideration:

Formal permission was obtained from Principal; S.G.R.D College of Nursing, Vallah Amritsar and informed consent was taken from research sample.

Data Collection Procedure:

Before commencing the task of data collection, formal permission was obtained from Principal, S.G.R.D College of Nursing, Vallah Amritsar. Data was collected during the month of may 2015, on the 57 nursing students which are residing in S.G.R.D College of Nursing Vallah, Amritsar.

RESULT:

Frequency and percentage of the sample characteristics:

Highest percentages (46.3%) of nursing students were within the age group of 21-23 years and lowest percentages were belongs to the age of more than 24 years. Majorities (38.9%) of the nursing students were of B.Sc nursing and least (29.6%) were of Post Basic. Most (87%) of the students belongs to Sikhism and (3.7%) belongs to Christianity. Majority (70.4%) of the subjects were belonged to nuclear family. Majorities (74.1%) of the students were vegetarian and highest percentages (53.7%) of nursing students were used common toilets. Majority of students (75.9%) were using cotton sanitary pads and least (1.9%) were using other sanitary pads. (68%) of nursing students were previously exposed to knowledge regarding UTI. Highest percentage (83.3%) of nursing students had information from books, newspaper, magazines and least (3.7%) from family members.

Table 1: The knowledge of nursing students regarding prevalence and risk factors of UTI was assessed by structured questionnaire.

Level of knowledge	Frequency	Percentage
Inadequate knowledge	5	9.3%
Moderately adequate knowledge	45	83.3%
Adequate knowledge	4	7.4%

Table 2 depicts, the frequency and percentage distribution of level of nursing students knowledge score on prevalence and risk factors of urinary tract infections reveals that 5(9.3%) of the subjects had inadequate knowledge followed by 45(83.3%) of the subjects had moderately adequate knowledge and 4(7.4%) had adequate knowledge.

In context of association between levels of knowledge with demographic variables of nursing students: There was significant association between sources of information. The other demographic variables like age, education, religion, type of family, dietary pattern, type of toilet facility, and type of sanitary pads and previous exposure of knowledge regarding UTI were not having significant association with level of Knowledge.

DISCUSSION:

Urinary tract infections are the second most common bacterial disease which accounts for more than eight million office visits per year.⁷ More than 1, 00,000 people are hospitalized annually because of urinary tract infection and it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Indian subjects. Young age and female sex are the two important factors that contribute to the development of urinary tract infection and therefore it is most common infection among adolescent girls, which distresses them, concerns their parents, and may cause permanent kidney damage, if there is any delay in treatment.²

The results showed that the frequency and percentage distribution of level of nursing students knowledge score on prevalence and risk factors of urinary tract infections reveals that 5(9.3%) of the subjects had inadequate knowledge followed by 45(83.3%) of the subjects had moderately adequate knowledge and 4(7.4%) had adequate knowledge.

The present study depicts the association of knowledge score with all demographic variables. It was found that the level of knowledge of students is significant with previous source of information regarding UTI.

The study was conducted to determine the prevalence and factor influencing prevention of UTI based on health belief model. A cross sectional study was conducted among 166 female students in shadegan city. A structured questionnaire was applied for collecting data. Data analysis was done and concluded that 22.3% of participants had history of experienced UTI at least one in lifelong. Result of this study is that there is need to offer training interventions among female students. And also showed that low level of self efficacy on good urinary habits among females students.⁸

CONCLUSION:

A descriptive study has been done to assess the knowledge regarding prevalence and risk factors of Urinary Tract Infections among the nursing students at S.G.R.D. nursing girl’s hostel, Vallah, Amritsar, Punjab. A structured questionnaire schedule was prepared to conduct the data which consist of 30 questions. Data is planned, collected, organized and analyzed, orderly in descriptive and inferential statistics.

The result drawn is the majority of nursing students that is 83.3% have moderate knowledge, 9.3% of students have inadequate knowledge and 7.7% of students have adequate knowledge regarding prevalence and risk factors of UTI. The association of level of knowledge with the age, education, religion, type of family, dietary pattern, type of toilet facility, type of sanitary pads, previous exposure of knowledge regarding UTI, is Non- Significant and association of level of knowledge with previous source of information regarding UTI is significant.

Adolescents live in a world of fantasy and they are not aware of their health needs and many diseases in adulthood are rooted to either childhood or adolescence. So researcher being in nursing profession felt the need to educate adolescent girls in selected pre-university college to impart appropriate knowledge regarding the prevention of urinary tract infection.⁹

REFERENCES:

1. Suddarth and Brunner. Text book of medical surgical nursing. 11^th edition. 1039-1045.

2. Lewis MS. Heitkemper MM. Dirksen SR. Medical Surgical Nursing Assessment And Management of Clinical Problems. 6^th edition. Missouri Mosby Publication. 2004.

3. Black MJ. A text book of medical surgical nursing. New Delhi. Harcourt Publisher 2007.

4. Lippincot. Text Book of Medical Surgical Nursing. 7^th edition.

5. Park K. Text book of preventive and social medicine. 19^th edition. India M/S Banarsidas Bhanot Publisher. 2007

6. Hall GS. Study on prevalence rate of UTI. Journal of gynecological nursing. 1904

7. Ghedria Z. Messaoudi A. Ben merian C. Guediche MN. Profile of antimicrobial resistance of agents causing urinary tract infection in children Tunis med. 2004.

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Received on 14.04.2016 Modified on 14.05.2016

Int. J. Adv. Nur. Management. 2016; 4(3): 241-244.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2652.2016.00053.6