Relation Between Delirium and UTIs Among Older Adults

Relation between Delirium and UTIs among Older Adults
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Relation between Delirium and UTIs among Older Adults
Women are often at risk of contracting urinary tract infections (UTIs) because, unlike men, their urethra is shorter, which implies that the bacteria can easily access organs such as kidneys and bladder, resulting in infection (Tan & Chlebicki, 2016). According to Flores-Mireles et al. (2015), UTI is a serious health concern resulting from Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli, among other pathogens. The high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in contemporary society implies that the economic burden of UTIs is expected to increase. There is a need to investigate the relation between delirium in elderly patients with UTIs against young adults. Bugiani (2021) reveals that delirium can result from exposure to some medications, drug intoxication, and infection, among other medical concerns. UTI is an infection that targets organs such as the urethra, kidneys, and bladder or the general urinary system of the body. The tract is infected when bacteria find their way to the aforementioned organs. Bugiani (2021) concludes that elderly patients aged above 65 years are more likely to develop delirium. In this regard, there is an increase in delirium in elderly patients with UTIs when compared to young adults.
Studies reveal that as of 2007, countries such as the US registered approximately 11 million UTI-related medical visits (Flores-Mireles et al., 2015). Just like other health complications, exposure to UTI adversely affects society, victims, and the government. This is based on healthcare costs and reduced productivity at work. UTI, including bladder infection, is tied to symptoms such as urine in the blood, pain, and constant desire to urinate. The focus on the urinary tract implies that the bacteria primarily infects the urethra, bladder, and kidney. Harrington and Hooton (2000) established that elderly women and men registered almost similar cases of UTI. Their findings are based on the claim that most of the research prioritized sexually active and young adults. Importantly, contemporary society still registers high cases of UTIs among women (Tan & Chlebicki, 2016). The authors assert that the prevalence of UTIs among older adult men is lower. According to Eriksson et al. (2010), older patients registered a higher frequency of delirium, especially if they were diagnosed with UTI. Bugiani (2021) backs the above claim, citing that the elderly population struggled with inevitable brain functionality changes resulting from aging, which exuberated the risk of delirium. In this case, there was an increase in delirium in elderly patients with UTIs when compared to younger adults.
One cannot disregard the association between UTIs and delirium. Delirium is considered a mental disease that primarily affects the brain. More often, the patients exhibit unawareness of their surroundings or general confusion. Krinitski et al. (2021) allude that older adults aged 65 and above were more likely to suffer from delirium, often tied to their exposure to UTIs. The authors note that older adults diagnosed with UTIs are more p...