National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Antibiotics (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (1)
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) (3)
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) (2)
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- (-) Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (8)
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- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) (2)
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 8 of 8 Research Studies DisplayedCrnich CJ
Reimagining infection control in U.S. nursing homes in the era of COVID-19.
This paper provides an overview of nursing home (NH) infection and control, reviews the 2016 CMS changes to federal regulations, and proposes recommendations to sustain improvements. COVID-19 put further pressure on nursing homes who were already strained by rising numbers of infections from C. difficile and multidrug-resistant organisms. The author puts out a call for reimagining infection prevention and control using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety framework. Additional recommendations are made to enhance NH infection prevention and control programs in the areas of people, tasks, tools, organization, built environment, and external environment.
AHRQ-funded; HS022465.
Citation: Crnich CJ .
Reimagining infection control in U.S. nursing homes in the era of COVID-19.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022 Dec;23(12):1909-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.10.022..
Keywords: Elderly, COVID-19, Public Health, Infectious Diseases, Nursing Homes, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Prevention
Krauss DM, Molefe A, Hung L
AHRQ Author: Henderson S, Miller M
Emergent themes from a quality improvement programme for CLABSI/CAUTI prevention in ICUs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this study, researchers summarized themes for maintaining infection prevention activities learned from the implementation of a quality improvement (QI) program during the COVID-19 pandemic. They concluded that future shocks such as the pandemic must be anticipated, and the healthcare system must be resilient to the resulting disruptions to healthcare-associated infection prevention activities. Their study encountered four themes for successful maintenance of infection prevention activities during the current pandemic: the value of a pre-existing infection prevention infrastructure; a flexibility in approach; broad buy-in for maintaining QI programs; and the facilitation of idea-sharing.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 233201500016I.
Citation: Krauss DM, Molefe A, Hung L .
Emergent themes from a quality improvement programme for CLABSI/CAUTI prevention in ICUs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
BMJ Open Qual 2022 Nov;11(4):e001926. doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2022-001926..
Keywords: COVID-19, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Prevention, Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Infectious Diseases
Warren DK, Peacock KM, Nickel KB
Postdischarge prophylactic antibiotics following mastectomy with and without breast reconstruction.
The authors investigated factors associated with post-discharge prophylactic antibiotic use after mastectomy with and without immediate reconstruction and the impact on surgical-site infection (SSI). They found that anti-methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus antibiotics were associated with decreased risk of SSI for patients who had mastectomy only and those who had mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. They concluded that the high numbers needed to treat suggest that potential benefits of post-discharge antibiotics should be weighed against potential harms associated with antibiotic overuse.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Warren DK, Peacock KM, Nickel KB .
Postdischarge prophylactic antibiotics following mastectomy with and without breast reconstruction.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022 Oct;43(10):1382-88. doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.400..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Medication, Surgery, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Prevention, Women, Practice Patterns
Morey DA, Rayo MF, Li M
From reactive to proactive safety: joint activity monitoring for infection prevention.
The authors explored Joint Activity Monitoring (JAM) as one key component of a proactive safety program within infection prevention. This paper described their strategies and challenges in developing this capability and discussed the implications for supporting a successful proactive safety implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS027200.
Citation: Morey DA, Rayo MF, Li M .
From reactive to proactive safety: joint activity monitoring for infection prevention.
Proc Int Symp Hum Factors Ergon Healthc 2022 Sep; 11(1):48-52. doi: 10.1177/2327857922111009..
Keywords: Prevention, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Patient Safety
MacEwan SR, Beal EW, Gaughan AA
Perspectives of hospital leaders and staff on patient education for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections.
The purpose of this study was to contribute to evidence of standardized approaches to educate patients about how they can prevent infections. The researchers explored the perspectives of hospital leaders and staff across 18 hospitals about patient education for device-related healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) including catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). A total of 471 interviews were conducted with key informants and analyzed to identify themes within the topic of preventing infection through patient education. The study found that the key informants identified CAUTI and CLABSI infection-prevention-specific patient education topics including: the necessity of hand hygiene, the importance of maintenance care, the risks of indwelling urinary catheters and central lines, and having the support to voice concerns. The study concluded that hospital leaders and staff identified patient education topics and ways to deliver the information that were important in the prevention of CAUTIs and CLABSIs, and can provide guidance on how patient education can be improved.
AHRQ-funded; HS024958.
Citation: MacEwan SR, Beal EW, Gaughan AA .
Perspectives of hospital leaders and staff on patient education for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022 Sep;43(9):1129-34. doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.271..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Prevention, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Huang J, Park GW, Jones RM
Efficacy of EPA-registered disinfectants against two human norovirus surrogates and Clostridioides difficile endospores.
This study’s goal was to determine the efficacy of a panel of nine EPA-registered disinfectants against two human norovirus (HuNoV) surrogates (feline calicivirus [FCV] and Tulane virus [TuV]) and Clostridioides difficile endospores. These products, five of which contained H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) as the active ingredient, were tested against infectious FCV, TuV, and C. difficile endospores using two ASTM methods, a suspension and carrier test. Products containing hydrogen peroxide were the most efficacious. Of the five products containing hydrogen peroxide, no strong correlation was observed between disinfection efficacy and hydrogen peroxide concentration. Addition of 0.025% ferrous sulphate to 1% hydrogen peroxide solution improved efficacy against FCV, TuV and C. difficile.
AHRQ-funded; HS025987.
Citation: Huang J, Park GW, Jones RM .
Efficacy of EPA-registered disinfectants against two human norovirus surrogates and Clostridioides difficile endospores.
J Appl Microbiol 2022 Jun;132(6):4289-99. doi: 10.1111/jam.15524..
Keywords: Clostridium difficile Infections, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Prevention, Patient Safety
McAlearney AS, MacEwan SR, Gregory ME
Identifying management practices for promoting infection prevention: perspectives on strategic communication.
The purpose of this study was to better understand the topics and communication strategies used by hospital administrative and clinical leaders to facilitate healthcare-associated infection prevention. Between 2017 and 2019 the researchers interviewed 188 administrative and clinical leaders in 18 U.S. Hospitals and interviewed them about management practices used to promote the prevention of HAI, with a focus on strategic communications. The study found that information sharing regarding infection prevention focused on two main topics: facilitators of success and barriers to success. The researchers also reported that storytelling using examples of real events was useful. The study concluded that the findings provide useful information about how the strategic communication of HAI information can contribute to improvement and advance hospitals’ infection prevention plans and efforts.
AHRQ-funded; HS024958.
Citation: McAlearney AS, MacEwan SR, Gregory ME .
Identifying management practices for promoting infection prevention: perspectives on strategic communication.
Am J Infect Control 2022 Jun;50(6):593-97. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.11.025..
Keywords: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Hospitals, Prevention, Communication
Cannon JL, Park GW, Anderson B
Hygienic monitoring in long-term care facilities using ATP, crAssphage, and human noroviruses to direct environmental surface cleaning.
Norovirus and C. difficile can be transmitted by contaminated environmental surfaces and are associated with diarrheal illnesses and deaths in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Hygienic monitoring tools such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence and indicators of fecal contamination can help to identify LTC facility surfaces with cleaning deficiencies. The researchers swabbed and tested high-touch surfaces in 11 LTC facilities for contamination by norovirus, a fecal indicator virus, crAssphage, and ATP. The study found that greater than 90% of surfaces tested positive for crAssphage or failed in their ATP scores. Norovirus contamination was not detected. Handrails, equipment controls, and patient beds were 4 times more likely than other surfaces or locations to have high levels of crAssphage. Patient bed handrails and tables and chairs in patient lounges had high levels of both ATP and crAssphage.
AHRQ-funded; HS025987.
Citation: Cannon JL, Park GW, Anderson B .
Hygienic monitoring in long-term care facilities using ATP, crAssphage, and human noroviruses to direct environmental surface cleaning.
Am J Infect Control 2022 Mar; 50(3):289-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.11.014..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Prevention, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Clostridium difficile Infections