Deliver Your News to the World

Patients with healthcare-associated infections suffer social, emotional pain


Arlington, Va. – WEBWIRE

The consequences of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) reach well beyond patients’ physical health, souring social relationships, and leading some healthcare providers (HCP) to distance themselves from affected patients, according to a qualitative, systematic review published in the American Journal of Infection Control(AJIC), the journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

To properly address patients’ needs and concerns, researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland, and colleagues, conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative research, looking at 17 studies from five different countries addressing five common types of HAIs, focusing on patient experiences of both colonization and infection from bacteria that commonly cause HAIs.

The authors of this meta-synthesis urge HCP to consider the social circumstances that color patient experiences, including feeling shameful and dirty, and the responses of those around them, especially those of HCP.

According to the analysis, many patients experienced an emotional response to their diagnosis and described “feeling dirty,” “having the plague,” or “feeling like a leper.” While emotional responses varied based on type of HAI, patients with nearly all colonization or infection types reported a fear of transmitting their infection to others. This fear affected patients’ personal and workplace relationships. Some patients, particularly those colonized by MRSA, also expressed concern about working in certain professions because of their condition and a fear of rejection by coworkers.

Patients who were able to speak to infection preventionists reported receiving constructive information and feeling reassured about their condition, whereas patients who did not, reported feeling dismissed by staff members.

“Having an HAI is a significant event in the patient’s care journey and subsequent life that is influenced by biology, society and context,” said Kay Currie, PhD, the paper’s lead author. “Understanding the patient experience can help HCP to interact and respond in a constructive way, providing more effective support during this challenging time in a patient’s healthcare experience.”

The analysis also found:

  • Concerns about interaction with HCP or restriction to healthcare treatment were particularly prominent among patients with infections caused by resistant organisms, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBL). The studies highlight patient reports of exclusion from rehabilitation classes, requirements to wait until the end of clinic appointments to be seen, or restrictions on attending clinics.
  • Many patients with HAIs reported changing their personal hygiene behavior, taking precautions to prevent the transmission of infection, including undergoing extensive cleaning at home and advising family members on hygiene measures.
  • Many patients reported interactions in a climate that induced fear and uncertainty, particularly when frontline HCP lacked knowledge of the causes and consequences of HAIs and could not provide the patient with adequate information. This finding highlighted the sociocultural context in which the infection or colonization occurs.


“As one in every 25 hospitalized patients in the United States is diagnosed with an HAI, it is critical to understand the long-lasting impact of such infections, not just from a physical perspective, but also from a social and emotional perspective,” said 2018 APIC President Janet Haas, PhD, RN, CIC, FSHEA, FAPIC. “This qualitative review provides valuable insight into the patient perspective and how healthcare professionals can more effectively interact with their patients to enhance recovery in all areas of their lives.”

-----
The article is “Understanding the patient experience of health care-associated infection: A qualitative systematic review,” by Kay Currie, Lynn Melone, Sally Stewart, Caroline King, Arja Holopainen, Alex M. Clark, and Jacqui Reilly (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2017.11.023). It appears in the American Journal of Infection Control, volume 46, issue 8 (August 2018) published by Elsevier. It is freely available.

About AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control 
AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control covers key topics and issues in infection control and epidemiology. Infection preventionists, including physicians, nurses, and epidemiologists, rely on AJIC for peer-reviewed articles covering clinical topics as well as original research. As the official publication of APIC, AJICis the foremost resource on infection control, epidemiology, infectious diseases, quality management, occupational health, and disease prevention. AJIC also publishes infection control guidelines from APIC and the CDC. Published by Elsevier, AJIC is included in MEDLINE and CINAHL. www.ajicjournal.org

About APIC
APIC’s mission is to create a safer world through prevention of infection. The association’s more than 15,000 members direct infection prevention programs that save lives and improve the bottom line for hospitals and other healthcare facilities. APIC advances its mission through patient safety, implementation science, competencies and certification, advocacy, and data standardization. Visit APIC online at www.apic.org. Follow APIC on Twitter: www.twitter.com/apic and Facebook: www.facebook.com/APICInfectionPreventionandYou. For information on what patients and families can do, visit APIC’s Infection Prevention and You website at www.apic.org/infectionpreventionandyou.

About Elsevier
Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals advance healthcare, open science and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support and professional education, including ScienceDirectScopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 38,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray’s Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professionals and business customers across industries. www.elsevier.com


( Press Release Image: https://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/6/227586/227586-1.jpg )


WebWireID227586





This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.