Home Health Care Increases Risk of Infection

Health care services remain an essential part of recovery practices following surgery and other health issues. However, for Americans receiving home care, a recent study suggests that they may be more likely to suffer from serious and potentially fatal complications. Unsterile living conditions and untrained caregivers are often times the outcome of home health care services, leaving patients more prone to infection.

"Patients shouldn't have to choose between safety and receiving care in the comfort of their own homes," said lead study author Jingjing Shang, PhD, assistant professor at Columbia Nursing. Each year, an estimated 12 million Americans receive care from more than 33,000 home health providers in the U.S., where the annual tab for home health services exceeds $72 billion, via a press release. "The stakes are already high, and they're getting higher all the time, as our population keeps aging and more and more patients receive care outside of an institutional setting."

For their research, study authors conducted a systematic review of studies evaluating infection prevalence and risk factors among adult patients who received health care. However, infection rates found that the analysis varied widely-ranging from five to 80 percent.

The highest infection rates were among those who received nutrients on an intravenous catheter, which is often for those who have lost the ability to eat on their own due to stroke or dementia. Other patients may receive nutrition through a catheter that's inserted in the central vein for feeding, if possible. However, infections can easily develop through the catheters if it or injection site is not properly kept clean.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) were also found to cause complications for many home health patients, with reoccurring issues if left unattended for long periods of time. Catheter-related blood stream infections (CLABSI) were also found to be common for many home health patients.

"The infection risk for patients receiving care at home is high because they often aren't being looked after by individuals with the same infection control experience that would occur in a hospital setting," Shang added, via the release. "Nurses who care for patients in their homes need to teach patients and their families how to prevent infections, and nurses need to make sure that they tailor this education to a level that's easy for people without formal medical training to understand."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the American Journal of Infection Control