Abstract

Globally, an estimated 150 million individuals are affected by urinary tract infections (UTIs) every year, with a
significant number of those affected being diabetics. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reported that in
the year 2019, there were about 60 million cases of patients suffering from diabetes who developed UTIs. The study
assessed the prevalence and associated factors of urinary tract infections among diabetic mellitus patients in the
medical ward at KIUTH. The objectives were to find out the prevalence and the factors associated with urinary tract
infections among diabetic patients in the medical ward of KIU-TH. The study was descriptive, and it involved 87
patient files selected by purposive sampling, in which a checklist was the main tool of data collection. The study
showed that female gender was significantly associated with the occurrence of urinary tract infection in diabetic
patients at OR 0.17 (0.05–4.29) and PV 0.01. The study also shows that having other disease comorbidities was
significantly associated with the occurrence of UTI among diabetic patients at OR 0.58 (0.35-8.07) and PV 0.002.
The study also shows that having late diabetic disease among diabetic patients was also significantly associated with
the occurrence of UTI among diabetic patients at OR 0.69 (0.35-8.19) and PV 0.004. The study concluded that 48
(55.2%) of diabetic patients had had a urinary tract infection, and therefore the study recommends that diabetic
patients should be health educated on the causes and control of UTI so as to prevent their occurrences. The study
also recommends that the government increase service provisions like treatments to reduce the occurrence of
opportunistic conditions in UTIs, and the patients should be encouraged to seek regular medical checkups so that
they monitor disease progression.
Keywords: Diabetics, UTIs, Patients, Diabetes mellitus