COVID-19 patients have significantly higher rates of health care-associated infections: U.S. study

During the pandemic, experts noticed an uptick in health care-associated infections, but according to a new study, this increase was largely due to significantly higher rates of these infections in COVID-19 patients. According to a new U.S. study of more than five million hospitalizations between 2020 and 2022, the answer may not be poorer overall care or overwhelmed hospitals.

During the pandemic, health experts noticed health care settings were experiencing an uptick in health care-associated infections — but they didn’t know why.

According to a new U.S. study of more than five million hospitalizations between 2020 and 2022, the answer may not be poorer overall care or overwhelmed hospitals.

Instead, the study found the increase in health care-associated infections (HAIs) was largely among COVID-19 patients, with rates of HAIs among non-COVID-19 patients sticking close to the pre-pandemic baseline.

Researchers say this suggests COVID-19 patients are uniquely susceptible to new infections while receiving care at a health care facility compared to other patients, and health professionals should take this into account.

“Patients without COVID-19 had rates of HAIs that would be expected based on the incidence observed before the pandemic,” the study states.

“This analysis suggests that the greatest opportunity to improve outcomes may involve targeting additional resources to provide even greater attention to the hospitalized COVID-19 population.”

The study, which was published April 14 in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open, looked at data collected from 182 inpatient facilities across 21 states. All facilities were affiliated with HCA Healthcare, a company which runs for-profit health care facilities in numerous states in the U.S.