Health inequities in infection prevention and

Transcript:Health inequities in infection prevention and:
Health inequities in infection prevention and control in health care settings June 2024 Inequities in health care also lead to inequities in infection prevention and control The quality of healthcare delivery is segregated along racial and ethnic lines 2018 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander patients were reported to receive worse care than White patients for 35–40% of quality measures evaluated Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8390539/ Social Determinants of Health Social determinants of health (SDOH) are defined as the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes including (but not limited to) education quality, economic stability, neighborhood, housing environment, and healthcare access. Source: Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , April 2024 , pp. 412 – 419; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2024.7 Example of a SDOH Literacy levels may affect a patient’s ability to understand medical information and this may affect their decision making on proper wound care, adhering to antibiotic prescription use, nutritional guidance, etc. More than 80 million American adults have low health literacy, with disproportionately higher representation among older adults and people from racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds. Source: Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , April 2024 , pp. 412 – 419; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2024.7 Mistrust may affect care “Several historical medical mistreatment events, such as the US Public Health Service–funded study of untreated syphilis in Black men at the Tuskegee Institute, the unauthorized retrieval and profits from the use of Mrs. Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cells without her consent, and the compulsory sterilization of Native American women at Indian Health Services hospitals have created generations of mistrust for populations whose ancestors were harmed by these actions.” Source: Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , April 2024 , pp. 412 – 419; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2024.7 Question for class discussion How likely are you to follow the advice of a physician or nurse who you do not trust? Language matters in outcomes Inadequate options to appropriately communicate with individuals with limited English proficiency also compromise health literacy and negatively influence outcomes for those patient populations. Individuals with limited English proficiency experience barriers to accessing healthcare coverage, which may delay treatment seeking and the receipt of appropriate care. Source: McGrath, CL, Bettinger, B, Stimpson, M, et al. Identifying and mitigating disparities in central-line–associated bloodstream infections in minoritized racial, ethnic, and language groups. JAMA Pediatr 2023;177:700–709