Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

John J. Nemecek

Abstract

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) continue to be an epidemiological issue burdening patients and public health systems worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine if specific healthcare facility types (Acute Care Hospitals, Long Term Acute Care Hospitals, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities) were associated with particular categories of HAIs: Ventilator-Associated Pneumonias (VAPs), Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs), and Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs). The theoretical framework for this study was the environmental determinants of infectious disease framework. A single research question focused on whether an association existed among the specified health care facility types and HAIs. Three independent categorical variables were used, including Acute Care Hospitals, Long Term Acute Care Hospitals, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, and 3 dependent variables were used, comprising of VAPs, CAUTIs, and CLABSIs. A quantitative design engaged the chi-square test of association, using a 2012 population-level report of archival data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network. Seven groups of HAIs and facility types were tested, and the results revealed that 6 groups had statistically significant differences. This study may contribute to positive social change by helping to identify whether healthcare facility types are associated with HAIs and to supply evidence to stakeholders to support standardization of best practices across all facility types, thus contributing to the reduction of HAIs in the United States.

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