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Prevalence of hospital-associated infections and its association with discharge destinations and hospital readmissions in Brussels, Belgium, from 2008 to 2020: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study

Romain Mahieu, Melody Yannart, N. Dauby, Boudewijn Catry, S. Newton

Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 2023

1,915,572 participants · 2 citations

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: To examine time trends of hospital-associated infections (HAIs) in people living in the Brussels–Capital Region, and to evaluate the consequences for hospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Design: Cross-sectional analyses of yearly hospital administrative data. Setting: All Belgian hospitals and discharge destinations, focusing on LTCFs. Participants: All individuals from the Brussels–Capital Region hospitalized for >1 day throughout Belgium between 2008 and 2020 (N = 1,915,572). Methods: We calculated HAI prevalences and then, adjusting for confounders, the odds of being discharged to a LTCF or being readmitted within 30 days postdischarge after an HAI. HAIs included hospital-associated bloodstream infections, hospital-associated urinary tract infections, hospital-associated pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and surgical-site infections. Results: Between 2008 and 2020, we identified 77,004 HAIs. Changes in time trends occurred. We observed a decrease of all HAIs from 2012 to 2014 from 5.17% to 2.19% (P < .001) and an increase from 2019 to 2020 from 3.38% to 4.06% (P < .001). Among patients with HAIs, 24.36% were discharged to LTCFs and 13.51% underwent early readmission. For stays ≥4 days, HAIs were associated with higher odds of LTCF discharge (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22–1.28), but with lesser odds of early readmission (aOR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.85–0.90). Conclusions: Administrative data can be…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 1,915,572 participants or records.

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