A Content Analysis of Mobile Phone Applications for the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections, and Their Compliance with European Association of Urology Guidelines on Urological Infections

Abstract

BackgroundMobile phone applications (apps) for urinary tract infections (UTIs) can help in the management of UTIs. ObjectiveTo review the apps available for UTIs and check its adherence to the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines. Design, setting, and participantsWe reviewed all mobile phone apps from the iTunes App Store and Google Play for UTIs and evaluated various aspects of apps, as well as their current and potential usage in screening, prevention, or management. The inclusion criteria were English-language apps for adults with upper or lower tract UTIs. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisEach app was sorted into one of the following categories: “informative”, “tracker”, or “urinalysis”; each app was then checked for its adherence to EAU guidelines based on a 31-point checklist. One point was given for each piece of specific advice provided by the app, with a maximum score of 31. Results and limitationsA total of 34 apps were initially identified from the app download platforms, and after exclusions, 11 were evaluated. The apps had a high average user rating of 4.04 (range: 0–5). The median number of downloads was 1000 (range: <100–100 000). The average adherence to the EAU checklist was low at 31.36% (3.3–70%). The app performance for prevention of recurrent UTIs, uncomplicated cystitis, and pyelonephritis was 14.9%, 33.1%, and 41.4%, respectively. ConclusionsApps to support the management of UTIs could be improved by better adherence to European guidelines and recommendations based on up-to-date evidence, especially for the management of recurrent UTIs. Patient summaryIn this study, we look at the role of mobile phone applications (apps) in screening, prevention, and management of urinary tract infections and their adherence to European Association of Urology guidelines. We found that apps need to improve with better compliance to European guidelines, especially for the management of recurrent urinary tract infections.