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WiRED Updates Urinary Tract Infection Module

BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW AND BERNICE BORN

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iRED International just updated its module on urinary tract infections as part of its general collection of health education modules and its Women’s Health Series.

 

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for about 8.1 million visits to health care providers each year. Women are especially prone to UTIs for anatomical reasons.

 

A urinary tract infection is a common infection caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses located in the urinary system, including the bladder, urethra, ureters or kidneys. If left untreated, UTIs can lead to kidney infections that require hospitalization and cause early labor in pregnant women and low birth weight babies.

 

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for about 8.1 million visits to health care providers each year.

UTI symptoms include a burning feeling during urination, frequent or intense urges to urinate, pain in the back or in the side below the ribs, fever or chills and cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul-smelling urine. A UTI may be diagnosed with a urinalysis, with a urine test and by imaging the urinary tract. (Imaging is a general term used to provide pictures of the inside of the body, e.g., X-ray and ultrasound.)

 


Resources on Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs are usually treated with antibiotics. Preventing a UTI or a repeat UTI requires eating healthily and drinking lots of fluid, keeping clean bathroom habits and wearing loose-fitting clothes and cotton underwear.

 

WiRED’s UTI module covers urinary tract health and issues such as infections and incontinence. This update is an example of WiRED’s effort to constantly rebuild its modules to stay current. WiRED also offers an Express module on UTI in English and in Spanish.

 

 

Sample Questions from WiRED’s UTI module

1. TRUE or FALSE? Being sexually active increases the risk of UTIs.

 True
 False

2. What beverage may help prevent UTIs?

 a. Sweetened iced tea
 b. Pineapple juice
 c. Unsweetened cranberry juice
 d. Orange juice

3. Having __________ increases the risk of a UTI.

 a. Constipation
 b. Acid reflux
 c. Kidney stones
 d. Allergies

4. Which symptom often is the only sign of a UTI in an elderly person?

 a. Mental changes or confusion
 b. Low fever
 c. Getting up during the night to urinate
 d. Bluish colored urine

 

 

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