Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in rural Kenya: Screening challenges, treatment pathways, and technological solutions

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in developing countries such as Kenya. Despite this, their prevalence is virtually unknown from a patient's perspective, especially in rural communities. Worldwide, it is estimated that one in two women will contract a UTI during their lifetimes. More specifically, UTI incidence rates are nearly 20 percent higher in the developing world. A UTI is contracted when bacteria enters and settles in the urinary tract. Untreated UTIs can spread to the kidneys and cause birth complications in pregnant women. Since UTIs are prevalent, yet mostly unknown to rural Kenyans, many are at risk for developing high-risk complications. The social stigma surrounding UTIs labels them as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and contributes to challenges regarding addressing and treating the infection. This article provides a review of the existence and prevalence of UTIs in rural Kenya. It focuses on data gathered from local doctors, nurses, community health workers (CHWs), health care facilities, and community members from Nyeri county. The current pathway system that a patient may follow when exhibiting symptoms of a UTI is identified. Technology based opportunities that stem from this pathway system are also proposed, including improved UTI screening test strips manufactured on an inkjet printer. By replacing traditional ink with chemical solutions to react with indicated parameters found in infected urine, inkjet printers exhibit promise in becoming simple manufacturing machines for low cost test strips specific to UTIs. Simple technology in PowerPoint and Kindles has proven to be an effective educational tool In the developing world and should be leveraged to bring increased awareness to UTIs in these communities.