Trends in Disparities in Healthcare Associated Infections

Analyses of patient safety from the National Healthcare Disparities and Quality Reports reveal that rates of healthcare associated infections vary by race/ethnicity. Understanding this disparity may play a key role in improving patient safety. Differences highlight populations and components of care that would most benefit from intervention, and emphasize best practices, which may guide improvement efforts.

This study draws on research for the National Healthcare Disparities Report, mandated by Congress to analyze and track disparities in American health care and produced by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Several measures related to healthcare associated infections are tracked. Data come from three nationally representative sources: the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, the Quality Improvement Organization program, and the Medicare Patient Safety Monitoring System. Estimates for non-Hispanic blacks, non-Hispanic Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics are compared with estimates for non-Hispanic whites.

Comparisons between racial/ethnic groups reveal different patterns of healthcare associated infections. For about half of contrasts, minorities have higher rates of infections than non-Hispanic whites. However, for about half of contrasts, minorities and whites have fairly equal infection rates.