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HEALTHCARE ACQUIRED INFECTIONS

Healthcare acquired infections (HAI) are a critical and widespread problem in healthcare settings such as clinics and hospitals. It can be contracted while receiving treatment and can range from mild skin infections to life-threatening illnesses. These infections can be the result of several factors, including contact with contaminated surfaces or equipment, poor hand hygiene by healthcare workers, and the use of invasive medical devices such as endoscopes or ultrasound probes. HAI's can prolong hospital stays, increase healthcare costs, and lead to serious illness or death.

HEALTHCARE ACQUIRED INFECTIONS
IN CLINIC SETTING

In non-hospital healthcare facilities, such as clinics, infection control is too often not given the same level of attention as it is in hospitals. This can be due to limited resources, a lack of dedicated infection control specialists, and a general lower priority given to infection control measures. The consequences of this lack of attention is severe, with higher rates of infections, illnesses, and mortality seen in non-hospital healthcare facilities compared to hospitals. Furthermore, the financial impact of these infections can also be substantial, as treating infections and managing outbreaks is expensive.

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THE PROBLEM OF UNREPORTED
HEALTHCARE ACQUIRED INFECTIONS

Reporting of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and related deaths is a widespread problem in many countries, including the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, and other countries. Studies have attempted to estimate the extent of this underreporting, and results indicate that only a small proportion (1-10%) of HAIs in the United States are reported, according to a 2007 study in JAMA. Meanwhile, a study in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology (2012) found that reporting of HAIs in European hospitals varied by type of infection, ranging from 0% to 50%.

UNREPORTED

REPORTED

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