Patient Perspectives of Healthcare Associated Infection

Abstract

Methods: We conducted a qualitative phenomenological study which drew on data from semi-structured interviews to explore the lived experiences of patients who had recently contracted a HAI while in hospital. Participants were recruited from two Australian hospitals during 2019 and 2021. Telephone interviews were conducted with ten participants by two research team members and transcripts from these interviews were qualitatively analysed using a thematic coding process to identify the patients’ perspectives of contracting a HAI. Results: The participants had a range of different HAIs. The participants described how the experience of having a HAI can be very isolating and distressing from the patient perspective, with life-long implications. This contributes to our understanding of the way in which patients are impacted emotionally and mentally as a result of contracting a HAI. Conclusion: There is a need for improved, person-centred communication about the source, treatment, and prognosis of HAIs. The ndings from our study indicate the importance of considering patients’ voices in their own health care. Background: While the prevalence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs), their causes and treatments have been researched in varied contexts to date, the patients’ perspectives of contracting and living with the consequences of HAI remains under-researched. The aim of this study was to explore the patients’ experience of having a HAI