Effectiveness of Infection Control Teams in Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Moe Moe Thandar, Md. Obaidur Rahman, Rei Haruyama, Sadatoshi Matsuoka (), Sumiyo Okawa, Jun Moriyama, Yuta Yokobori, Chieko Matsubara, Mari Nagai, Erika Ota and Toshiaki Baba
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Moe Moe Thandar: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Md. Obaidur Rahman: Center for Surveillance, Immunization, and Epidemiologic Research, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
Rei Haruyama: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Sadatoshi Matsuoka: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Sumiyo Okawa: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Jun Moriyama: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Yuta Yokobori: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Chieko Matsubara: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Mari Nagai: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Erika Ota: Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing Sciences, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0044, Japan
Toshiaki Baba: Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: The infection control team (ICT) ensures the implementation of infection control guidelines in healthcare facilities. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ICT, with or without an infection control link nurse (ICLN) system, in reducing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). We searched four databases to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in inpatient, outpatient and long-term care facilities. We judged the quality of the studies, conducted meta-analyses whenever interventions and outcome measures were comparable in at least two studies, and assessed the certainty of evidence. Nine RCTs were included; all were rated as being low quality. Overall, ICT, with or without an ICLN system, did not reduce the incidence rate of HCAIs [risk ratio (RR) = 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45–1.07], death due to HCAIs (RR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.04–2.69) and length of hospital stay (42 days vs. 45 days, p = 0.52). However, ICT with an ICLN system improved nurses’ compliance with infection control practices (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.00–1.38). Due to the high level of bias, inconsistency and imprecision, these findings should be considered with caution. High-quality studies using similar outcome measures are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ICT.

Keywords: infection control team; infection control link nurse; healthcare-associated infections; systematic review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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