P-1547. Real-World Patient Insights Inform an Action-Oriented Healthcare Professional (HCP) Educational Initiative to Address Gaps in Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection (uUTI) Management
Authors: Gupta Kalpana , Cossis Kara , Molloy Leah , Simone Laura , Napolitan Chris , Carter Jeffrey D , Meza Jimenez Jenniffer A , Rodriguez Melissa , Chadha Chelsie Anderson , Douglas Bonnie 
Published: January 2025

Background

uUTIs are among the most common outpatient infections and reasons for antibiotic use. This project aimed to understand the real-world burden of UTIs on patients, uncover HCP challenges in uUTI management, and educate HCPs to improve knowledge of guidelines and align clinical practices with patient priorities.Table 1.Demographics of Women Who Experience UTIs Who Participated in the Patient Survey (N = 413).

Methods

Patient surveys were distributed nationwide to women who experience UTIs (Table 1). Baseline HCP surveys were administered in 6 clinics that treat UTIs in the southeast US (Table 2). Survey outcomes informed live education sessions with each clinic from 10/2023 – 2/2024, featuring pre-/post-session surveys and team-based action planning.Table 2.HCP Baseline Survey Participant Demographics (N = 94).

Results

Outcomes from the patient survey revealed the extensive burden of UTIs on quality of life (N = 413, Fig 1). Patients experienced 4 UTIs in the last year on average and reported the most difficult aspect of experiencing UTIs was fear of recurrence (49%), with 79% of patients seen in urology clinics and 66% of patients seen in infectious disease clinics agreeing they were frequently concerned about recurrence versus 58% of patients seen in other clinics (p &lt; .001 and p = .217, respectively). HCPs (N = 94) also reported their top challenge in uUTI care was management of persistent or recurrent infections (54%) and felt they could most improve on antibiotic stewardship (47%) and aligning clinic protocols with the latest guidelines (42%). HCP education sessions led to improvements in knowledge and confidence in uUTI management. After sessions, more HCPs correctly selected 5 days of nitrofurantoin as a first-line uUTI treatment (85% vs 61%, p &lt; .001) and reported high confidence in applying the latest guidelines (72% vs 40%, p &lt; .001) than before. Patient survey data presented to HCPs during sessions showed patients thought their care teams could most improve on counseling about antibiotic side effects (50%) and education about risks of frequent antibiotic use (47%). In response, 93% of HCPs committed to counseling patients about antibiotic use and UTI prevention and clinic action plans included expansion of patient education efforts.Figure 1.Real-World Patient Insights on UTI Burden.

Conclusion

This initiative offers real-world insights on the burden of UTIs on patients and demonstrates the potential impact of patient-informed education on HCP knowledge and clinical practice in uUTI care.

Disclosures

Kalpana Gupta, MD MPH, GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant|Iterum Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant|PhenUtest Diagnostics: Advisor/Consultant|Qiagen: Advisor/Consultant|Up to Date: Royalties|Utility Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant Kara Cossis, MPH, PA-C, Amgen: Honoraria|Astellas: Advisor/Consultant|AstraZeneca: Advisor/Consultant|Bayer: Advisor/Consultant|Janssen: Advisor/Consultant|Myriad: Advisor/Consultant|Tolmar: Advisor/Consultant