Recurrent urinary tract infections in primary care: A qualitative study of women's experiences

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are highly prevalent, affecting up to 50% of women during their lifetime. Among these, 20–30% develop recurrent UTIs (rUTIs), defined as ≥ 2 UTIs within 6 months or ≥ 3 UTIs within 12 months. In addition to physical symptoms, existing research describes how rUTIs affect women’s quality of life, mental well-being, and intimate and social relationships. Few studies have investigated how women experience encounters with primary care and how rUTIs shape women’s self-image and illness perceptions. The objective of this study was to explore how premenopausal women experience the impact of living with rUTIs, as well as how they experience the encounters with HCPs in a Danish primary care setting. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 12 premenopausal women aged 23–48 years, recruited through Facebook and Instagram. Results: Three themes were identified: 1) Clashes between biomedical routines and women’s perceptions, 2) Lack of validation from the GP, and 3) Gendered illness perceptions. Women described limited transparency around the medical routines in primary care, leading to feelings of dismissal and inadequate validation. These experiences influenced their illness perceptions, towards self-blame, normalization or creating feelings of injustice, all related to an identity as female. Conclusion: rUTIs are highly distressing for women and the encounter with primary care often results in frustrations and unmet needs. Perceiving primary care routines as unclear can leave women feeling dismissed, compromise the patient-doctor relationship and affect the women’s self‑image and illness perceptions. Improving rUTI management in primary care requires greater attention to women’s lived experiences. GPs should recognize the broader impact of recurrent symptoms and ensure transparent clinical routines rather than relying on repeated tests and prescriptions. Strengthening shared decision-making and aligning care with women’s needs and understandings of health are essential for better support.