Breaking Down Health Inequality: A Study on Hospital-Associated Infections in Urban and Rural Healthcare Facilities
Tamia M. Dixon, MPH, an epidemiologist at ASRT and her colleagues have conducted a study that reveals the risks for certain hospital-associated infections differ between urban and rural healthcare facilities. This suggests a nuanced relationship between health equity and the risk for infection. The study analyzed data from 14 healthcare facilities in nine regions of Louisiana collected in 2022 by the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network.
The findings of the study were presented at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Spring Conference in Houston, where Dixon explained how factors related to health equity affect the incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections and MRSA. By analyzing data from both urban and rural settings, researchers can identify opportunities to implement targeted interventions to improve infection rates in these facilities. Through a better understanding of the relationship between health equity and infection risks, healthcare providers can work towards creating a more equitable healthcare system for all patients.
The study highlights the importance of addressing health equity in healthcare facilities to reduce the risk of hospital-associated infections. By analyzing data from both urban and rural settings, researchers can identify opportunities to implement targeted interventions to improve infection rates in these facilities. Through a better understanding of the relationship between health equity and infection risks, healthcare providers can work towards creating a more equitable healthcare system for all patients.
