Abstract
516. Social Network Analysis to Study MDRO Transmission in VA Community Living Centers and Spinal Cord Injury Units
Open forum infectious diseases, Vol.6(Supplement_2), pp.S249-S249
10/23/2019
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz360.585
PMCID: PMC6810435
Abstract
Abstract Background Residents of VA Community Living Centers (CLC) and Spinal Cord Injury units (SCI) are commonly colonized or infected with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). The mechanisms by which MDROs are spread between residents in CLC/SCI settings remain poorly understood. Our objective was to develop methods to better understand how MDROs are spread in VA CLCs/SCIs. Methods Preliminary data from two of the four VA medical centers participating in an ongoing study are included in these analyses. A structured sociometric survey was employed to collect data on interactions between residents, staff and environmental surfaces in study units. UCINET was used to construct a sociogram and calculate network characteristics (density, centrality) using responses to the surveys administered in one of the participating facilities. Results A total of 136 surveys were completed by 49 staff and 45 residents at the two VA sites. Staff reported more interactions with residents than with other staff. Residents reported more interactions with staff than with other residents, the latter tending to only occur during group activities. Sociograms generated from preliminary surveys collected at one site suggest a four-core-person social network pattern connecting two staff with two specific residents and showed that the dining room was the group setting most frequently visited by residents. Mobile computers, blood pressure cuffs/thermometers and glucometers were the equipment used most heavily during resident care activities (figure). Challenges in identifying contact patterns include recall bias and inability of some residents to identify names of individuals with whom they interacted. Residents were still able to reliably identify staff roles. Conclusion This preliminary work shows heterogeneous contact patterns between persons and surfaces in VA CLCs/SCIs. Characterizing this heterogeneity and its influence on MDRO spread via this type of social network analysis is feasible in the VA CLC/SCI setting, albeit with some limitations. Next steps in our studies include adding data from two additional sites and using observation techniques supplemented with microbiological sampling of targeted environmental surfaces to further understand potential transmission patterns. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- 516. Social Network Analysis to Study MDRO Transmission in VA Community Living Centers and Spinal Cord Injury Units
- Creators
- Svetlana Bondar - University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WisconsinTola Ewers - University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WisconsinAmanda Vivo - CINCCH at Hines VA, Hines, IllinoisMarissa Gutkowski - Veteran Affairs, Hines, IllinoisCharlesnika T Evans - Northwestern University and VA, Hines, IllinoisEli N Perencevich - University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IowaChristopher Crnich - University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
- Resource Type
- Abstract
- Publication Details
- Open forum infectious diseases, Vol.6(Supplement_2), pp.S249-S249
- DOI
- 10.1093/ofid/ofz360.585
- PMCID
- PMC6810435
- NLM abbreviation
- Open Forum Infect Dis
- ISSN
- 2328-8957
- eISSN
- 2328-8957
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/23/2019
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984001164302771
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