Infectious Disease Control Regulations in Assisted Living Communities: Before and After COVID-19
Author Information
Author(s): Gerken Danielle, Smith Lindsey, Carder Paula, Hua Cassandra, Jutkowitz Eric, Thomas Kali
Primary Institution: Oregon Health & Science University
Hypothesis
Did state agencies increase infectious disease control regulations for assisted living communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Conclusion
While some states improved their regulations, there remains a significant gap in regulatory protection for assisted living residents.
Supporting Evidence
- In 2019, there were 13 regulations from 9 states regarding pandemic responses.
- In 2020, 13 regulations from 10 different states were found.
- In 2023, this number increased to 18 regulations from 11 different states.
- The majority of regulations required reporting disease outbreaks to local health departments.
Takeaway
This study looked at how rules for preventing infections in assisted living homes changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and found that many homes still lack strong protections.
Methodology
The study systematically sourced regulations from all 50 states and Washington D.C. and analyzed the changes over time.
Limitations
The study may not capture all nuances of regulatory changes or their implementation.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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