Risk Factors for Nosocomial Infection in Elderly Patient

The most common infection was a urinary tract infection, and the most common risk factor for a urinary tract infection was a urinary catheter.

Risk factors for nosocomial infection in an elderly patient:

(1) advanced age

(2) malnutrition with poor energy intake and/or low serum albumin

(3) presence of a urinary catheter

(4) delayed recovery with prolonged hospital stay

where:

• The primary criterion for hospital discharge was walking self-sufficiency.

• Age > 85 will be used in the implementation to indicate advanced age.

• Disability and dependence in activities of daily living seem to be linked to several of these risk factors.

Elderly patients with nosocomial infection:

(1) had a mortality rate 5 to 7 times that of patients without an infection

(2) were more likely to be discharged to a nursing home