Magnitude of surgical site infection and its associated factors among patients who underwent a surgical procedure at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia

PLoS One. 2019 Dec 5;14(12):e0226140. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226140. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Introduction: Surgical site infections are infections that take place within 30 days of an operative procedure. Worldwide, 23% of patients develop surgical site infections among all surgeries annually with the worst complications causing prolonged hospital stays, increased resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobials, higher health system costs, emotional stress for patients and their families, and substantial economic burdens on hospitals. Therefore, this study was created to assess the magnitude and associated factors of surgical site infection at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital.

Method: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study on patients who underwent a surgical procedure in 2018 at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital. We applied a systematic random sampling technique to obtain 261 patient records from all records of surgical patients from January 1, 2018, to December 30, 2018. We collected data using a pretested checklist. We used bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with surgical site infection. We considered a P-value < 0.05 as statistically significant. Summary measures, texts, tables, and figures present the results of the analysis.

Result: Among the 261 patients, 34 or 13% (95% CI = 9.2%, 17.2%) developed surgical site infection. Patients younger than 40 years old [AOR 6.45; 95% CI (1.56, 26.67)], illiterate [AOR 4.25; 95% CI (1.52, 11.84)], with a history of previous hospitalization [AOR 4.50; 95% CI (1.44, 14.08)], with a prolonged preoperative hospital stay (≥ 7 days) [AOR 3.88; 95% CI (1.46, 10.29)], and admitted to the public wing of the ward [AOR 0.24; 95% CI (0.07, 0.79)] possessed factors associated with surgical site infection.

Conclusion: The magnitude of surgical site infection in this study was high. Shortening preoperative hospital stays, delivering intravenous antimicrobial prophylaxis before surgery, and giving wound care as ordered would significantly reduce the incidence of surgical site infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intravenous
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antibiotic Prophylaxis
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ethiopia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Hospitals, Teaching
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Length of Stay
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Risk Factors
  • Surgical Wound Infection / epidemiology*
  • Surgical Wound Infection / prevention & control
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

The source of funding for this research was Wolaita Sodo University, College of Health Science and Medicine. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.