3 Poor hygiene and infection control

Healthcare settings are hot spots for infectious diseases, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Figure 2).

Infections are spread through failures in hygiene, such as poor hand-washing technique, and because measures to prevent and control infections are inadequate or not followed consistently. Failure to wear protective clothing, to dispose of waste safely and to maintain a clean working environment all contribute to the spread of bacteria. You will learn more about the role of hygiene in preventing the spread of infections in Week 7.

A high number of cases of infectious diseases not only increases the demand for antibiotics and drives resistance but also increases mortality and has a negative impact on quality of life (Figure 3).

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Figure 2 The number of patients contracting infections within healthcare settings (O’Neill, 2016).

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This figure consists of an infographic from the O’Neill Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (2016). It illustrates the following statistics related to infections in healthcare settings. 7 (HIC) to 10% (LMIC) of hospitalised patients will acquire at least one healthcare associated infection (HCAI). A third of ICU patients in HICs are affected by at least one HCAI. A quarter of HCAIs are caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Figure 2 The number of patients contracting infections within healthcare settings (O’Neill, 2016).

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Figure 3 How poor infection control contributes to resistance and loss of life (O’Neill, 2016).

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This figure consists of an infographic from the O’Neill Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (2016). It illustrates the relationship between infection control, resistance and loss of life. Poor hygiene, infection control and sanitation are linked to increasing incidence of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Both of these factors contribute to more deaths and lower quality of life.

Figure 3 How poor infection control contributes to resistance and loss of life (O’Neill, 2016).

In the next section, you will explore the link between the overuse of antibiotics and resistance.