The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and associated factors among very old women. In a cross-sectional, population-based study in Sweden and Finland, 532 women were asked to participate and 395 (74.2%) were possible to evaluate for UTI. Data were collected from structured interviews and assessments made during home visits, from medical charts, caregivers and relatives. UTI diagnosis documented in medical records during the preceding 1 and 5 years was registered. About one-third (117/395, 29.6%) were diagnosed as having suffered from at least one UTI in the preceding year and 60% in the preceding 5 years. In a multivariate logistic regression model, UTI in the preceding year, was associated with vertebral fractures (odds ratio (OR) = 3.2; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.4-7.1), incontinence (OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.8-4.5), inflammatory rheumatic disease (OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.4-5.7) and multi-infarct dementia (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.3-4.5). UTI is a major public health problem in very old women and were independently associated with vertebral fractures, urinary incontinence, inflammatory rheumatic disease and multi-infarct dementia which might indicate that UTI is not a harmless disease.
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