title: Descriptive study of nosocomial infections in a short-term inpatient behavioral health setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surveillance methods for nosocomial infections, with the use of a sound epidemiologic foundation, have not been published for behavioral healthcare settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nosocomial infection rates in a behavioral health care setting were quantified by integrating the following: (1) rounds/review of selected charts, (2) microbiology reports, and (3) records of antimicrobials dispensed. Incidence density rates were calculated with 1000 patient-days as the denominator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of nosocomial infections of all types among all patients was 3.9 infections per 1000 patient-days. Rates among specific groups of behavioral patients ranged from children (6.4 infections per 1000 patient-days) to adults (3.9 infections per 1000 patient-days) to adolescents (3.2 infections per 1000 patient-days). Adult substance-abuse patients had a rate of 1.9 infections per 1000 patient-days. The most frequently diagnosed nosocomial infection among adult substance-abuse and behavioral patients was bronchitis at 0.5 and 0.6 infections per 1000 patient-days, respectively. The most frequently diagnosed nosocomial infection among adolescents and children was cellulitis at 0.6 and 1.3 infections per 1000 patient-days, respectively. Female patients experienced significantly more nosocomial infections than male patients, except among adult substance-abuse patients. Nosocomial infections usually occurred in patients who were hospitalized longer than the average length of stay, except among children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nosocomial infections occur in behavioral health settings. Surveillance methods, with a sound epidemiologic foundation, must be developed.
authors.affiliation: Acadia Hospital, Bangor, ME 14402-1422, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Shandera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008281:Maine; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D012189:Retrospective Studies