title: Prevalence of infections and their risk factors in geriatric institutions: a one-day multicentre survey.
abstract: This one-day prevalence survey of 1919 patients (74% females and 44% aged greater than or equal to 85 years) in nine geriatric hospitals, six of them located in France and three in Switzerland, indicated a high prevalence of infections in elderly institutionalized patients (infection rate: 18.7% in males and 15.4% in females). The risk factors for infection were identified and the relative risks assessed. Prevention of infections in geriatric wards should be one of the goals of every care-giver. A low rate of infection in elderly inpatients is thus likely to be associated with care of good quality.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital de Gériatrie, University Geriatric Institutions of Geneva, Thônex, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lesourd
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conne
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rapin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012306:Risk; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology