BJGP Open最新文献

{"title":"Recruitment and participation of general practices in research networks: quantitative evaluation of the first joint study in six German practice-based research networks.","authors":"Michael Pentzek, Susanne Löscher, Karen Voigt, Steve Piller, Susanne Döpfmer, Christian Kretzschmann, Karola Mergenthal, Andreas Polanc, Ann-Kathrin Lepper, Elena D Hohmann","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recruiting general practices for research is challenging. Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) may improve participation, but little is known about how newly established PBRNs function operationally in multicentre studies.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate recruitment effort, participation, data completeness, and acceptability in the first joint study of six German PBRNs.</p><p><strong>Design and setting: </strong>Multicentre cross-sectional feasibility study across 18 university sites in six German PBRNs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>GPs completed an online REDCap survey covering practice characteristics, aggregated patient numbers manually extracted from practice management systems (PMS), and attitudes towards post-COVID/post-vaccination-related symptoms. Sites documented contacts, reminders, and time investment. A two-step cluster analysis characterised site-level recruitment strategies, and a generalised linear mixed model examined predictors of data completeness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 906 contacted GPs, 156 participated (17.2%); 69 (7.6%) provided near-complete datasets (≥90% item response). Recruitment required 134 staff-hours overall, equivalent to about 2 hours and 13 contacted GPs per near-complete dataset, and varied substantially between sites. Two recruitment clusters emerged: an email-oriented, low-effort strategy that recruited more practices overall, and a phone-intensive, high-effort strategy that achieved higher response rates but lower acceptability. Data completeness was lowest for PMS-derived patient data. Completeness varied by site, but not by PBRN or recruitment cluster, and was higher among younger and female GPs, in multi-doctor practices, and among those with prior research experience.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this first joint German PBRN project, participation and data completeness were limited despite network affiliation. Site-level capability, practice research experience, and easier extraction of routine data appear crucial for future PBRN studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Out-of-hours general practice consultations and emergency department referrals from 2013-2022 in the Republic of Ireland: a retrospective observational study.","authors":"Michael Edmund O'Callaghan, William Giguere, Fintan Stanley","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0204","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>GP out-of-hours (OOH) cooperatives provide urgent primary care across the Republic of Ireland (RoI), but national workload trends and hospital referral patterns are poorly described.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To quantify OOH activity (2013-2022), examine for changes in OOH service utilisation over time, and describe emergency department (ED) referral rates.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Retrospective observational study using aggregated electronic medical record (EMR) data from eight large GP OOH cooperatives across the RoI from 2013-2022.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Annual measures included total consultations and consultation type (triage nurse versus GP consultation, teleconsultation, treatment-centre visit, home visit). Subsets provided age mix and ED referral data. Descriptive analyses were contextualised with nationally available open data and prior literature.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Across 2013-2022, participating OOH services recorded approximately 900 000 consultations annually, with an overall 26% rise in consultations over the 10-year period. Two major inflection points were observed: the introduction of free GP care for children aged <6 years (2015) was followed by a 17% rise in consultations (2014-2016), whereas COVID-19 coincided with an 18% fall in consultation volume and fewer face-to-face visits (2020-2022). ED referral rates remained broadly stable at 13% throughout.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>OOH GP cooperatives provide substantial, adaptive capacity, managing the vast majority of patients within primary care. This study supports the view that OOH cooperatives act as a buffer for EDs and a pressure-release valve for daytime general practice. Routinely collected EMR data can track OOH activity over time and should inform workforce and service planning.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147349026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between overweight and obesity and the frequency of general practice consultations among children aged 2-17 years: a French retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Theo Christophe Duguet, Mikaël Dusenne, Thibaut Sabatier, Matthieu Schuers, Kim Bonello, Julie Chastang, Saldanha Gomes Cécilia","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0178","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0178","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Childhood obesity and overweight are increasing, with consequences for children and for healthcare systems. Data on how a child's Body Mass Index (BMI) is associated with primary healthcare use in children remain limited, especially in France.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>Exploring the association between general practice (GP) consultation rates and children aged 2-17 years living with overweight or obesity.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>A retrospective cohort study (2012-2022) was created from the PRIMEGE database, including 205 757 consultations from 10 067 children. BMI categories (underweight, normal, overweight, obesity) followed International Obesity Task Force criteria. The outcome was the age-adjusted GP consultation rates.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Inter-individual comparisons of mean normalized consultation rates across BMI categories were performed using linear regression models. Intra-individual interrupted time-series analysis was conducted with a negative binomial and zero-inflated mixed model to estimate the Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) following transitions from normal BMI to overweight BMI, and from overweight BMI to obesity BMI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In inter-individual analyses, children with overweight/obesity BMI had significantly higher GP consultation rates than those with normal BMI. In intra-individual analyses, transitioning from normal BMI to overweight BMI was associated with an increase consultations rate (IRR=1.49; 95% CI [1.39;1.59]; <i>P</i><0.001), and the transition from overweight to obesity BMI was associated with an increase consultation rate (IRR=1.64; 95% CI [1.37;1.96]; <i>P</i><0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study, with inter- and intra-individual analytical approaches, shows that increases in BMI categories are associated with higher GP consultation rates. These findings highlight the need for prevention and tailored care for children with excess weight, helping adapt healthcare systems to population needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid point-of-care testing for urinary tract infections: diagnostic accuracy and clinical impact.","authors":"Robby Markwart, Timo Jung, Thiên-Trí Lâm, Florian Wolf, Jutta Bleidorn, Felix Kannapin, Guido Schmiemann, Ildikó Gágyor, Peter Kurotschka","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0044","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The PA-100 AST system (Sysmex®) is a point-of-care test (POCT) that tests for bacteria in urine samples using a fixed threshold and performs antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) within 45 minutes.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and perceived clinical utility of the PA-100 AST for diagnosing uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) in people assigned female at birth.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Prospective multicentre diagnostic accuracy study in four primary care practices in Germany.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Urine samples from adult female patients with uUTI symptoms were tested using the PA-100 AST (index test) and standard laboratory urine culture (reference standard). General practitioners reported the perceived clinical utility.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data from 109 patients (median age 59 years, interquartile range: 43 - 72) were analysed. Bacteriuria prevalence was 63%. For bacterial detection, sensitivity was 86% (95% CI 67-88) and specificity 80% (95% CI 63-93). Positive and negative predictive values were 88% (95% CI 80-96) and 76% (95% CI 46-77), respectively. For AST, overall categorical agreement across uUTI antibiotics was 84% for ciprofloxacin, 87% for fosfomycin, 94% for trimethoprim and 95% for nitrofurantoin. The overall sensitivity for identifying non-susceptible pathogens was 74% (11/15), but was particularly low for ciprofloxacin (40%, 2/5). Among the 15 resistant isolates, the PA-100 AST misclassified four (27%) as susceptible. GPs reported that results influenced prescribing in 25% of consultations, equally split between initiating antibiotics after initially withholding (\"step-up\") and withholding after initially considering treatment (\"step-down\"). GPs reported that using the PA-100 AST improved communication, increased diagnostic confidence, and that the test could be readily integrated into routine workflow.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The PA-100 AST showed moderate diagnostic accuracy and may support management of suspected uUTI in primary care. However, its relatively low negative predictive value observed in our study population limits its ability to rule out bacteriuria. The test had a modest impact on prescribing decisions but further research is needed to determine its effectiveness in optimizing antibiotic use.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"General practitioners' perspectives on implementing a self-management mobile application for musculoskeletal pain.","authors":"Eva Seerup, Nina Sjørup Simonsen, Mette Terp Høybye, Cecilie Rud Butz, Rasmus Østergaard Nielsen, Julie Sandel Jacobsen, Michael Skovdal Rathleff, David Høyrup Christiansen","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Musculoskeletal conditions are common, and digital self-management tools are increasingly used to support general practice. General practitioners' perceptions of digital tools are key to implementation.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To interpret how general practitioners (GPs) perceive and implement a self-management exercise app for musculoskeletal pain in general practice.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with nine Danish GPs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, enabling an iterative and interpretive engagement. Themes were developed abductively informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework, which was used as an analytical lens. The analysis explored how GPs perceived the clinical value and usability of the app, focusing on factors influencing implementation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>GPs use of the app was influenced by the perceived compatibility with clinical workflow and clinical responsibility. Facilitators included trust in the app's quality, user-friendliness, and peer endorsement. The app was perceived as useful in remote or financially limited settings. Barriers included increased workload, limited time and familiarity. Implementation was shaped by time pressures and intuitive judgements of patients' digital literacy and adherence to exercise. The app was used as a supplementary tool, and implementation reflected pragmatic clinical reasoning rather than system-level objectives.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Successful implementation of mHealth tools depends not only on usability but also on GPs' confidence in the quality and clinical value of the solution. A clearly defined purpose aligned with system-level objectives is essential for embedding mHealth tools as an alternative in routine care pathways rather than leaving their use to individual clinical purpose and judgement.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148920404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A quantitative analysis of resident composition within GP training practices across the UK.","authors":"Laura Jayne Emery, Michael Bride, Eleanor Hoverd, Geoff Wong, Sophie Park","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0215","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Increasing workload in primary care has prompted an increase in general practice (GP) training places. These additional places have historically been filled by international medical graduates (IMGs); in 2025 52% of UK GP residents were IMGs. However, disparities in allocation to training practice may disadvantage IMGs thereby causing problems in training progression.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To analyse the allocation of residents to GP training practices across the UK to determine whether this varies with socio-economic deprivation.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>A quantitative analysis of data obtained from freedom of information (FOI) requests to UK bodies governing GP training.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Main outcome is composition of residents within training practice; classified as IMG-only, UK medical graduate (UKMG) -only or mixed. Variable of interest is Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We observed a 23% increase in number of UK GP training practices from 2020-2025. In this time, composition of residents shifted from predominantly UKMG-only to more mixed and IMG-only practices. Number of training practices serving the most deprived communities varied; 15% in England to 34% in Northern Ireland (NI). In England, Scotland and NI, IMG-only training practices were significantly more likely to be in areas of higher deprivation than UKMG-only practices. Prevalence of diabetes and COPD were higher in IMG-only compared to UKMG-only practices.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings highlight the substantial contribution of IMGs to the UK primary care workforce from 2020-2025; however, we must acknowledge and address disparities in the allocation of GP training placements and further investigate impact on resident progression.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148913606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping quality indicators for primary Care-Based palliative care: a systematic review.","authors":"Vanessa Cunha, Rahat Sidhu, Karla Gonzalez Pallares, Marina Englesakis, Vilma A Tripodoro, Jose Pereira, Shrikant Atreya, Megan Doherty, Katherine Rouleau, Kirsten Wentlandt","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0229","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0229","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Integrating palliative care into primary care is increasingly recognised as essential for people with life-limiting illness, yet the relevance of existing palliative care quality indicators (QIs) to primary care remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To identify, map, and appraise quality indicators (Qis) relevant to palliative care delivered in primary care.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Systematic review of studies describing QIs applicable to primary care-based palliative care.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane databases, and Global Index Medicus (inception to July 2024). Eligible studies described QIs relevant to both palliative care and primary care. Indicators were classified using Donabedian's framework, mapped to National Consensus Project Palliative Care domains and the WHO Primary Health Care (PHC) Measurement and Improvement Framework, and appraised using the Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation instrument.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria, yielding 381 relevant indicators. Most indicators focused on processes of care (64.8%), with fewer addressing structure (27.6%) and outcomes (7.6%). Palliative care indicators were concentrated in PHC domains related to continuity, coordination, person-centredness, and effectiveness. Psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural domains were sparsely represented. PHC structural system elements, including governance and population health approaches, were minimally captured. Methodological quality was highest for clarity of purpose, but variable for stakeholder involvement (28-94%) and low for implementation guidance (17-65%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Current palliative care QIs are predominantly focused on processes of care and may not fully reflect the breadth of primary care-based palliative care, particularly with respect to patient-centred outcomes and psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural domains. Further work is needed to develop and validate indicators that are specifically relevant to primary care practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148913654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The award gap affecting international medical graduates in general practice training: results of a scoping review.","authors":"Laura Jayne Emery, Vincent Faseyosan, Eleanor Hoverd, Nia Wyn Roberts, Geoff Wong, Sophie Park","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>General practice in the UK is under significant pressure, resulting in a drive to increase training capacity. These additional training posts have historically been filled by international medical graduates (IMGs) who accounted for 50% of UK GP residents in 2025. There is however a significant 'award gap' (previously differential attainment) affecting IMGs in postgraduate GP training.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To identify literature addressing the factors underlying the award gap.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>The scoping review followed the process outlined in the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance. Studies eligible for inclusion were those reporting educational outcomes (concept) for IMGs (participants) undertaking UK GP training (context).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Searches were conducted in Medline, EMBASE, SCOPUS and PsycINFO. A two-step screening process was employed to identify eligible articles. Analysis involved descriptive statistics (number and type of evidence sources) and a basic categorical qualitative analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>34 pieces of evidence were identified for inclusion; 24 of these reported findings from a variety of empirical research. Most articles focused on postgraduate examinations as the educational outcome of interest. Broad themes were individual vs systemic factors as predictors of success and the 'deficit model'.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Previous research has focused on individual factors which predict failure, or on defending the validity of examinations. This has 'responsibilised' IMGs by failing to acknowledge that the responsibility for addressing the award gap lies not just with the individual, but also with the educational system. Further research should consider exploring why the award gap exists so we can tackle the underlying cause.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148913639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seeding research at the coal face: evaluation of an australian regional primary care capacity building initiative.","authors":"Nishadi Withanage, Riki Lane, Isini Appuhamy Mudiyanselage, Pak Fung Ho, Rochelle George, Grant Russell","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0151","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Primary care research capacity is hindered by fragmented systems, limited protected clinician time, and poorly developed pathways for translating evidence into practice. The Translating Research Outcomes into the Primary Health Interface (TROPHI) initiative was established in outer Eastern Melbourne, Australia, to address these challenges by strengthening regional research capacity, fostering collaboration between primary care and academic sectors, and supporting research translation. TROPHI was funded by Windermere Foundation.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate the implementation and early impact of TROPHI, focusing on its ability to build interdisciplinary networks, enhance research capacity, and facilitate primary care research.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Our hybrid evaluation was set in outer Eastern Melbourne, Australia METHOD: Our evaluation was informed by Cooke's framework for research capacity development and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). We analysed study documents and conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 TROPHI staff, award recipients, partners, consumers, and funders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TROPHI established a regional interdisciplinary network and created accessible entry points into research for clinicians through mentorship, bursaries, fellowships, and seed funding. Participants reported increased research skills, confidence, and engagement, alongside early examples of translation into practice. Over three years, TROPHI leveraged an initial AUD$1M philanthropic investment into more than AUD$3M in competitive grants. Implementation was supported by established organisational partnerships but required substantial contributions from staff at lead organisations.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TROPHI strengthened primary care research capacity by fostering partnerships and supporting clinicians, generating regional momentum. It represents a promising model for regional capacity building. Sustained impact will require ongoing investment, broader workforce engagement, and stronger integration with systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148913681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review of behavioural interventions for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections.","authors":"Sascha Miller, Ingrid Muller, Amana Baig, Balazs Adam, Katie Read, Sadia Mir, Sana Iftikhar, Nick Francis, Miriam Santer","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2026.0222","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Behavioural strategies are recommended to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs), but supporting evidence is unclear.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To synthesise evidence on the effects of patient-facing behavioural interventions to prevent rUTIs in primary care and community settings.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Systematic review of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies in primary care and community settings.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched in April 2025. Studies examining behavioural preventive interventions for UTI in adult women were included; pharmacological-only and non-behavioural studies were excluded. Findings were synthesised narratively, risk of bias was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and confidence in findings was informed by GRADE principles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ten studies were included (2907 participants); two randomised controlled trials and eight non-randomised studies. Evidence was heterogeneous with low to very low confidence. Strongest evidence was for increased fluid intake, with one randomised controlled trial amongst women with low intake showing reduced UTI recurrence (<i>N</i>=140). Other behaviours were included in multi-component interventions but were mostly not evaluated independently or associated to outcomes. Barriers to prevention behaviours included practical, attitudinal or social factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Evidence for behavioural interventions to prevent rUTIs is limited by variable study quality, poor reporting of intervention content, and lack of behavioural analysis. While some evidence supports increased fluid intake, other behaviours have limited evaluation. Primary care clinicians should continue to offer behavioural advice, while recognising uncertainty and tailoring support to individual circumstances.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148888248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}