The Health Quality & Safety Commission released the findings of the first national point prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Aotearoa New Zealand. The survey was conducted between February and June 2021 involving nearly 6000 patients in 310 wards across 31 hospitals from all 20 district health boards (DHBs) in Aotearoa New Zealand. The national point prevalence of HAIs was 6.6 percent and the HAI rate was 7.7 infections per 100 patients.
The survey found HAIs were more common in patients in intensive care and surgical patients than in medical patients and that four HAI types made up 74 percent (rounded) of all infections. These were surgical site infections (25 percent), urinary tract infections (19 percent), pneumonia (18 percent) and bloodstream infections (13 percent).
Read more:
- Aotearoa New Zealand national point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections. Health Quality & Safety Commission New Zealand. 26 April 2022.