ASSESSMENT OF ELDERLY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT URINARY TRACT INFECTION IN ASSIUT CITY

ABSTRACT: 
Aim: The objectives of this study are to promote health of elderly people with urinary tract
infection, and to assess elderly knowledge about urinary tract infection in Assiut City.
Subject & Methods: The study was carried out at two setting (geriatric club in legitimate
assembly) and (geriatric club in cultural center). The total number of studied sample was
100 elderly. Two tools are used in this study: 1)structured interview sheet, which includes,
personal data: such as age, gender, marital status, etc .. 2) Tool two, which included
definitions of UTIs, causes, physiological changes that occur in elderly and predisposing
factors of disease, Signs & symptoms, complications, treatment, and Steps for prevention
and control of UTIs. Data was collected in the period from June 2008 to December 2008.
Results: of the present study; the mean age group of the studied sample was (was
63.9±4.07group), the majority of the studied sample (83%) were female, also more than half
of the studied sample (55%) were widows. Three quarter of studied female (77.1%) stated
diabetes mellitus, while the majority of the studied male (88.2%) stated enlargement of
prostate as one of the most common disease among elderly men that lead to UTIs. Three
quarter of the studied sample (74.0%) stated that Inflammation and damage of the kidney
one of the most complication of UTIs, & most of the studied sample (98.0%) stated that good
personal hygiene from front to back after urination is one of the most important methods to
control UTIs.
Conclusion: serious lack of knowledge about urinary tract infection among the study
sample.
Recommendations: Presence of gerontological nurse at geriatric to follow elderly people and
give them health education is very important, different seminars at geriatric club can be
done about interested topics for elderly people such as: normal changes, common health
needs and problems for elderly people, geriatric club library should be rich with specific
book about the physiological changes and common health problems among elderly people,
increasing elderly awareness about the importance of periodic check up to detect early
health deviation to make early management and to prevent complication through: Health
education and focus group discussion for elderly.