Patient perspectives on indwelling urinary catheter use in the hospital.

Urinary tract infections are one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, with 70%-80% resulting from catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). We undertook a qualitative study to assess patient perspectives of indwelling urinary catheters using a semistructured interview. We found that patient awareness and patient engagement regarding indwelling urinary catheters and their consequences could be improved in the hospital setting. Implementing educational programs incorporating patient preferences for both health care workers and patients is likely to increase the involvement of patients in decision-making regarding urinary catheters and may lead to a decline in CAUTIs.