Research Conducted at Harvard University Has Updated Our Knowledge about Clostridium difficile (Effect of Clostridium difficile Prevalence in…

Research Conducted at Harvard University Has Updated Our Knowledge about Clostridium difficile (Effect of Clostridium difficile Prevalence in Hospitals and Nursing Homes on Risk of Infection)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- A new study on Gram-Positive Bacteria - Clostridium difficile is now available. According to news reporting originating from Boston, Massachusetts, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "To assess the effect of facility Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) prevalence on risk of healthcare facility (HFC) acquired CDI. Retrospective cohort study."

Financial supporters for this research include National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging Program.

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Harvard University, "Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims and skilled nursing facility (SNF) Minimum Data Set 3.0 assessments. Medicare beneficiaries with 90 days or more of no contact with a HCF before a hospital admission without a CDI diagnosis. Participants were separated into two cohorts: discharged to the community and discharged to a SNF. Risk of HCF-acquired CDI associated with CDI prevalence at the index facility measured according to 30-day rehospitalization with a discharge diagnosis of CDI or diagnosis in the SNF after admission. Hospital and SNF CDI prevalence were categorized into three groups: 0% and above and below the median value for facilities with greater than 0% prevalence. Of 817,900 eligible individuals, there were 553,423 admissions in the first cohort (discharged to the community) and 315,109 in the second (discharged to a SNF). In the first cohort, the risk of HCF-acquired CDI was higher for individuals admitted to hospitals with CDI prevalence less than the median (relative risk (RR) = 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18-2.12) and greater than the median (RR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.91-3.45) than for those with no CDI. In the second cohort, the risk of HCF-acquired CDI was greater for individuals admitted to a hospital (RR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.49-2.39) and a SNF (RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.31-1.67) with CDI prevalence greater than the median."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "The risk of HCF-acquired CDI is greater for noninfected individuals admitted to hospitals and SNFs with a high prevalence of CDI."

For more information on this research see: Effect of Clostridium difficile Prevalence in Hospitals and Nursing Homes on Risk of Infection. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2017;65(7):1527-1534. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society can be contacted at: Wiley, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA. (Wiley-Blackwell - www.wiley.com/; Journal of the American Geriatrics Society - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1532-5415)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting N.R. Joyce, Harvard University, Sch Med, Dept. of Hlth Care Policy, Boston, MA 02115, United States. Additional authors for this research include E. Mylonakis and V. Mor.

Keywords for this news article include: Boston, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America, Gram-Positive Endospore-Forming Bacteria, Gram-Positive Endospore-Forming Rods, Gram-Positive Bacteria, Clostridium difficile, Health Policy, Medicare, Hospital, Harvard University.

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