ABSTRACT
Hand hygiene (HH) is one of the most important infection prevention and control strategies at the hospital level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential COVID-19 pandemic impact on HH practices and rate of healthcare-associated infections. Data on alcohol-based handrub consumption (AHC) and antimicrobial resistance across 27 Italian hospitals over the period 2017-2021 were considered. Data on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteria (CRE) were extracted from the antimicrobial resistance regional surveillance system. A significant increase was highlighted, with a peak in 2020 and a partial fall in 2021 for AHC (p < 0.001). The decrease in MRSA rates in 2021 compared to 2017-2019 was significant (p = 0.013). A significant Spearman's correlation between AHC and CRE rates was found (Spearman's ρ -0.646, p = 0.032). This study supports the importance of AHC monitoring and showed that improving AHC was an attainable goal in the COVID-19 era. However, other strategies are needed to maintain the high levels of AHC attained during the pandemic, in order to avoid a progressive drop that has already begun in 2021. Furthermore, our results support the inverse relationship between AHC and infection rates and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.
ABSTRACT
Eating disorders (EDs) are characterized by behavioral and cognitive aspects that result in a significant impairment of an individual's well-being. COVID-19 pandemic consequences negatively impacted healthcare services and people's mental health. Particularly, in developmental ages, difficulties in coping with the situation could have had an impact on eating behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess EDs' hospitalization trend before, during and after the pandemic peak to evaluate whether it has been influenced. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on the hospital discharge forms of patients from 5 to 19 years old in Piedmont, which is a region in northern Italy. Overall, hospitalization, age, and gender-specific rates due to EDs that occurred in 2020 and 2021 were compared to those that occurred in 2018-2019. Since 2020, there has been a 55% reduction in overall hospitalizations, while the total proportion of EDs admissions has doubled from 2020 to 2021 (from 13.9‱ to 22.2‱). Significant hospitalization rate increases were observed both in 15-19 and in 10-14 females' age groups in 2021. Non-significant increases were observed in all males' age groups. The increase in hospitalizations for EDs should be further investigated, as it might be the tip of an iceberg not yet acknowledged.