Prevalence and Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) develop while a patient is receiving healthcare for another condition. HAIs are a significant cause of harm and mortality in the United States. HAIs include, but are not limited to, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP), surgical site infections (SSI), and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infections. 

Prevalence and Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections, a statistical brief from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (PDF, 1.3 MB) presents statistics on adult inpatient stays involving one or more of five HAIs–CLABSI, CAUTI, VAP, MRSA infection, and C. difficile infection.

Highlights: 

• From 2016 to 2019, the rates of healthcare-associated central line associated bloodstream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, and Clostridioides difficile infection among inpatient stays decreased by 10.6 to 32.8 percent. The rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia among inpatient stays increased by 20.1 percent. 
• In 2020 and 2021, the rates of inpatient stays with three examined HAIs increased. Central line associated bloodstream infection and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection rates increased by 37.2 and 47.0 percent, respectively, and ventilator-associated pneumonia rates more than doubled. 
• In 2019 and 2021, inpatient stays with any of the five examined HAIs (central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, ventilator associated pneumonia, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, and Clostridioides difficile infections) had a longer median length of stay, a higher in-hospital mortality rate, and a higher median hospital cost than stays without the HAIs. 

Select to access Prevalence and Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections, a statistical brief from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (PDF, 1.3 MB).