Risk factors and practices associated with occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa; A scoping review

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Urinary Tracts Infections remain a major public health challenge with a particular higher burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. There remains a dearth of information in literature regarding patterns of risk factors and practices associated with Urinary Tract Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. This scoping review aimed at documenting the risk factors and practices associated with Urinary Tract Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods A systematic search of databases was done under the guidelines outlined by Joanna Brigs Institute to retrieve original articles that met inclusion criteria. Standard bibliographic information for articles that met the inclusion criteria was recorded in an Excel spreadsheet and then exported to SPSS version 21for statistical analysis. Biographic information, risk factors, and practices findings from statistical analysis were presented in tables, bar graphs and charts, followed by a summarized narrative account of the risk factors and practices that emerged. Reporting was conducted in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Results Out of the 794 studies identified, 31 studies met inclusion criteria. Studies included in this review were distributed in 9 countries, Ethiopia leading with 38.7% (n = 12), Nigeria followed with 25.8% (n = 8), Uganda 9.7% (n = 3), Cameroon and Kenya each contributed 6.5% (n = 2), and Ghana, Tanzania, Burkina Faso and Zambia each contributed 3.2% (n = 1). Twenty one risk factors and three practices were identified to be associated with Urinary Tract Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. Conclusion The current evidence demonstrated the dire need for future studies to lay more emphasis on methodological and statistical rigor. Particularly, this scoping review identified the need to further investigate practices which wee underinvestigated. Further, methodological and statistical rigor should be emphasized by future studies.