Tell us about your UTI prevention experience and help us shape better, more personalized care
Share your experience in a one-time, 60-minute virtual focus group — and help shape better, lower-antibiotic ways to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children.
Why Is This Study Being Conducted?
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common in children and are one of the most frequent reasons kids are prescribed antibiotics. For decades, the usual way to prevent UTIs from coming back has been a daily low-dose antibiotic. But research shows this approach only helps a little, doesn’t prevent kidney scarring, and can make future infections harder to treat by encouraging antibiotic resistance. Taking antibiotics over time could also be linked to other health problems, and those risks add up the longer they’re used.
There are promising non-antibiotic ways to help prevent UTIs — such as cranberry products, probiotics, and d-mannose — and families are increasingly interested in them, but they aren’t yet a routine part of care. Because every child is different, the best prevention plan depends on the individual. We are conducting this study to learn from families’ real experiences and preferences, so we can build better, more personalized prevention options and tools that help families and doctors choose the right plan together, with less reliance on antibiotics.
About the Study
Researchers in the Pediatric Urology Division at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt are conducting a study called “Personalizing Prevention and Optimizing Non-Antibiotic Therapies in Children at Risk for Urinary Tract Infection.”
We want to hear directly from patients and families about your experiences with preventing UTIs — especially ways to prevent them without using too many antibiotics. What we learn will help us better understand your experiences and the information you need to make decisions about prevention, so we can improve care for everyone.
Who Can Participate
You may be eligible if:
- Your child has been told they are at a higher chance of getting urinary tract infections (UTIs), and
- You (or your child) have talked with a doctor about how to prevent UTIs — with antibiotics, non-antibiotic options, or both, and
- You are comfortable taking part in a discussion in English.
Both teen patients (ages 14-17) and caregivers of a child of any age are welcome to take part.
All volunteers will be screened for eligibility before being contacted for enrollment.
What’s Involved
- One virtual meeting. A single online focus group on Zoom, led by a member of our research team.
- About 60 minutes of your time. Just one session — no long-term commitment.
- A relaxed conversation. We’ll ask about your experiences with UTI prevention and what matters most to you. There are no right or wrong answers.
- A short follow-up survey. Afterward, we’ll email you a link to a brief online survey — a few quick questions about you and your thoughts on what we discussed.
Why Your Voice Matters
Families know things that doctors don’t. Your experiences and preferences will help us learn what parts of UTI prevention matter most — and how to support families in choosing prevention plans, including options that rely less on antibiotics. What you share will help guide future care for children at risk for UTIs.
Your Privacy & Your Rights
- Completely voluntary. Taking part is your choice, and you can stop at any time.
- No effect on your care. Your decision will not affect the care you or your child receive at Vanderbilt Children’s in any way.
- Kept private. What you share is confidential and will be combined with input from other families to understand what matters most in preventing UTIs in children.
How to Sign Up
Interested? We’d love to hear from you.
Ready to take part? Complete our online sign-up form. You’ll answer a few quick questions, and if you’d like to join, we’ll follow up to schedule your focus group after confirming eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time will this take?
Just one session of about 60 minutes plus about five minutes for the survey. There is nothing to prepare and no follow-up required.
Where does the focus group take place?
Online, over Zoom, so you can join from home. You’ll need an internet connection and a device with a camera or microphone.
Do I need to be a patient to take part?
Patients at risk for UTIs and caregivers of those patients from around the world are both welcome.
Will I be paid?
Yes — participants will be compensated as a thank-you for their time.
Do I have to answer every question?
No. Participation is voluntary, and you can skip anything you prefer not to discuss or stop at any time.
Will this affect my child’s care?
No. Your decision to take part — or not — will not affect the care you or your child receive
Who is organizing and funding this study?
The study is led by the Pediatric Urology Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is funded by the Urology Care Foundation of the American Urological Association.
Has this study been reviewed for ethics?
Yes. This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which oversees research to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of everyone who takes part.
Questions?
If you have questions at any time, contact the research team at PediatricUrologyResearch@vumc.org.
Study coordinator, Vijay Rings, MD
Pediatric Urology Division, Monroe Carell
Principal Investigator: Lauren Corona, MD