title: Comparison of sampling methods for urine cultures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare efficacy and cost of conventional and alternative sampling methods concerning urine cultures.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental study with two replications was carried out in a 900-bed university hospital in Ankara, Turkey. The sample was 160 hospitalized female patients, who were asked to give urine specimens, September 10,2000 and September 1,2001. They were patients on urology and obstetrics and gynaecology wards. The authors informed the patients about the study first and then obtained two samples from each patient under their observation. The number of specimens was 320. Statistical methods were descriptive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rates of contamination and significant growth, respectively, were 4.4% and 7.5% for the conventional method and 5.6% and 10% for the alternative method. The cost per culture was 2.588.257 TL (2.10 USD) for the conventional method and 57.021 TL (0.05 USD) for the alternative method. The cost difference was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two methods yielded similar results but the alternative method was less expensive.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University Cebeci School of Health, Ankara-Turkey. hayriyeunlu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hayriye
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Unlü
authors.forename: Yeşim Cetinkaya
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Sardan
authors.forename: Saadet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001207:Asepsis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010502:Perineum / Q000382:microbiology; D012915:Soaps / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014038:Toilet Facilities; D014421:Turkey; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D012915:Soaps