Prevention of nosocomial infections and multidrug-resistant bacteria through an initiative of patient empowerment and participation in infection control

• Applicant: Dr. Annelene Kossow
• Subject Area: Medical Microbiology and Mycology, Hygiene, Molecular Infection Biology ; Pneumology, Thoracic Surgery
• Term: from 2018 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 400679839

BackgroundThe project aims at investigating the effects of actively integrating patients in infection control measures for the prevention of healthcare associated infections (HAI) and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO). Patient participation is a well recognized concept in health care. Patients are highly motivated to participate in infection control. The improvement of hand hygiene compliance has been an established goal of patient-centered infection control measures. We hypothesize that such an intervention has a heretofore uninvestigated mitigating effect on HAI and the spread of MRO.Study DesignDuring a control period of ten months the rate of HAI and nosocomial Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE)-colonizations will be measured on an orthopaedic ward. During a period of two months the follwing initiave will be established: patients will regularly receive flyers upon admission that inform about hand hygiene measures. In addition, staff will wear buttons that welcome patients to remind health care personal of hand hygiene practices. HAI and VRE-colonization rates will again be measured and compared to rates in the control period while the intervention continues for ten month. In the case of a positive outcome the project will be extended in a multicenter approach with the objective of developing a concept that can be applied in various health care settings. If the outcome is negative, further investigations will concentrate on examining factors that lead to a better acceptance of patient-centered infection control measures.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants