title: Factors affecting performance of hospital infection control in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Japan, hospital infection control (IC) programs are frequently underresourced, and their improvement is considered a pressing issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2005, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 638 teaching hospitals (most with 300 or more beds) and 882 nonteaching hospitals (most with fewer than 300 beds) in Japan. We analyzed associations among resources, infrastructures, activities, and performance related to IC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 423 teaching hospitals (66.3%) and 377 nonteaching hospitals (50.2%) responded to the survey. The teaching hospitals had more IC infrastructure, such as full-time infection control practitioners (ICPs), link nurses, and infection control teams (ICTs), compared with the nonteaching hospitals. Infection surveillance was more likely to be implemented in hospitals with more ICP full-time equivalents (FTEs). IC performance scores were significantly higher in the teaching hospitals than in the nonteaching hospitals. In multivariate analyses, greater IC infrastructure, such as ICP FTEs, full-time IC nurses, and regular ICT rounds were significantly associated with IC performance. Hospital accreditation and hospital size also were significantly associated with higher IC performance scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the strong associations found among IC infrastructure and performance, a new framework for evaluating IC infrastructure and for providing financial support may be effective in enhancing IC programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Healthcare Economics and Quality Management, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekimoto
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imanaka
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kizu
authors.forename: Hiroe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobuse
authors.forename: Hanako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mihara
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007564:Japan; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires