Racial Disparities in Bloodstream Infections During COVID-19
Author Information
Author(s): DeWitt Michael E., Sampson Mindy M., Kester Shelley, MacNeill Emily, Passaretti Catherine
Primary Institution: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
This study investigates race and CLABSI before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
The study found that Black patients had higher rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to White patients.
Supporting Evidence
- Black patients had higher rates of CLABSI during the pandemic even after adjusting for COVID-19 and other factors.
- CLABSI rates in Black patients without COVID-19 during the pandemic were significantly higher than in White patients.
- During the pandemic, Black patients were 1.44 times more likely to develop a CLABSI than White patients.
Takeaway
This study shows that Black patients got more infections from central lines during the COVID-19 pandemic than White patients.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study analyzing CLABSI rates in Black and White inpatients across 11 hospitals from 2019 to 2021.
Potential Biases
Misclassification or documentation gaps could have occurred in race identification and comorbidities.
Limitations
Potential information bias due to reliance on electronic health record data and results may not be generalizable to other settings.
Participant Demographics
The study included non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White adult patients with central lines.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.008
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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