Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections and Associated Risk Factors at Adama Hospital Medical College, Adama, Oromia, Ethiopia

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) is a type of infection that is acquired while receiving healthcare services in a hospital or other healthcare settings. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of HCAI and associated factors at Adama Hospital Medical College (AHMC), Adama city, Ethiopia.

Method: A hospital-based longitudinal study was conducted among 300 participants at AHMC from February to May 2017. The study participants' clinical characteristics were collected using a structured interview and clinical evaluations. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS software version 20. Various clinical samples collected from participants were processed and bacteria were isolated by using standard microbiological methods recommended by the World Health Organization.

Result: The total incidence rate of HCAI was 9.7 [95% CI: 7.1-12.9] cases per 1000 persons-days. Specific incidence rates were as follows: 8 cases per 1000 person-days [95% CI: 08.74, 20.66] for surgical site infections; 60.2 cases per 1000 device-days [95% CI: 33.47, 100.3] for catheter-associated urinary tract infections; 1.4 cases per 1000 device-days [95% CI: 0.06752, 6.656] for catheter-associated bloodstream infections; 14.1 cases per 1000 device-days [95% CI: 0.7047, 69.46] for ventilator-associated pneumonia; 73.5 cases per 1000 person-days [95% CI: 26.94, 163] for non-surgical skin break infections and 0.6 cases per 1000 person-days [95% CI: 0.02906, 2.864] for antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Most of the infections were caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Renal disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with HCAI (P<0.05).

Conclusion: HCAI was predominant in this study. The major contributing factors for HCAI at AHMC were renal disease and type 2diabetes mellitus.