Introduction:
Hospital-acquired infections are a well-known cause
of morbidity and can have negative consequences for
patients, particularly surgical site infections (SSIs), which
affect up to 5% of surgery patients. Evidence suggests
that around 60% of SSIs could be prevented through the
use of evidence-based measures.Objective:
This study aims to identify the risk factors that
contribute to SSIs among patients undergoing major
surgery.Methodology:
This study was conducted at a teaching hospital in
the Unites United Arab Emirates (UAE). To investigate
the risk factors for surgical site infections (SSIs) in
patients undergoing major surgery, Qualified infection
control professionals (ICPs) conducted a hospital-based
retrospective descriptive approach. A total of 200 patients
who underwent surgery during the first half of 2022 were
included in the study. Additionally, a survey was
conducted to evaluate the infection control practices and
knowledge related to the surgical pathway of patients. To
analyze the data collected, the procedure and SSI data
were used to generate descriptive reports. Logistic
regression analysis was performed to examine the factors
associated with SSIs. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95%
confidence intervals were used to assess the associations
between the dependent variable and other variables.Results:
The study revealed that 11 out of 200 patients (5.5%)
developed SSIs. The factors found to be associated with
SSIs were the patient's ASA score (OR = 4.74; 95% CI =
(0.045-490)), length of preoperative stay (OR = 6.09; 95%
CI = (0.308-120)), premorbid illness (OR = 4.8; 95% CI =
(0.036-640)), and premorbid illness treatment status (OR
= 2.04; 95% CI = (0.096-43.286)), mainly focusing on the
type of wound, preoperative hospital stay, and comorbid
illness. The staff questionnaire proved useful in
identifying the risk factors associated with SSIs, while
also highlighting the need for more training and
education on this important health issue. The survey
results showed that responders had a relatively high level
of knowledge about the safe surgical pathway, with an
overall mean score of 3.43 out of 5 based on the 20
questions provided.
Conclusion:To conclude, our study found that 5.5% of the 200
operated patients developed a surgical site infection, with
factors such as the type of wound, preoperative hospital
stays, and co-morbid illness identified as significant risk
factors. Our study also highlighted a lack of knowledge
about surgical site infections among some staff members,
indicating a need for training in this area. The results
underscore the importance of continued research on the
prevalence and risk factors of SSIs to improve patient
outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Future research
could focus on the effectiveness of prevention
interventions, patient factors, microbiological causes,
healthcare disparities, and cost-effectiveness of
interventions. By identifying effective prevention
strategies and improving our understanding of the
underlying causes of SSIs, we can work towards reducing
the incidence of this significant healthcare complication.
Keywords : Surgical Site Infection; Risk Factor; Hypertension; Diabetes Mellitus; SSI; Risk Factors.