Three questions to screen for postdischarge surgical site infections.
In-hospital surveillance of surgical site infections (SSI) was conducted on 599 patients in a German university hospital. On a subgroup of 342 patients, SSI was assessed after discharge from hospital based on data of a questionnaire and telephone interviews. Postdischarge surveillance revealed substantially higher infection rates than in-hospital surveillance. From assessment of single questionnaire items, a model of a 3-item questionnaire for surveillance of SSI is proposed.
Knaust
Andreas
A
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.knaust@uniklinik-leipzig.de.
Moussa
André
A
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Stilianakis
Nikolaos I
NI
Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra (VA), Italy.
Eikmann
Thomas
T
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Herr
Caroline
C
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires