Abstract

Objective: Home care services (HCS) is delivery of the healthcare and attendant care service to the patients living with their families by healthcare professionals in accordance with physicians’ recommendations so as to meet their medical needs including rehabilitation, physiotherapy, psychological therapy. In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the infections developing in the patients followed by HCS.

Methods: Follow-up forms of 361 patients visited by the staff of the HCS unit between January 20-11 and January 2013 were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: 143 (39.6%) of the patients followed up by HCS unit were male and the mean age was 69.2±17.8 years. In terms of underlying diseases, 201 (55.7%) of patients had cerebrovascular disease, 187 (51.8%) had ischemic heart disease, 165 (45.7%) had hypertension, 65 (18%) had diabetes mellitus and 67 (18.6%) had solid organ malignancy. 153 (42.4%) patients were completely bedridden. 53 (14.7%) of them had an indwelling urinary catheter. 53 (14.4%) patients had decubitus ulcer. 18 (5%) of the patients were feeding with parenteral nutrition, 13 (3.6%) were feeding via a nasogastric tube and 10 (2.8%) were feeding via a jejunal tube. 88 episodes of infection were identified in 68 (18.8%) of 361 patients followed up throughout the study period. Urinary system infections (41%) and lower respiratory tract infections (26%) were the most common infections in patients.

Conclusions: In our study, urinary system infections and lower respiratory tract infections are most commonly observed among patients receiving HCS. Being completely bedridden is a risk factor for developing infection among the patients 

Cite this article as: Korkmaz P, Naz H, Naz C, Toka O. [Infections in patients followed by home care services unit]. Klimik Derg. 2018; 31(1): xx. Turkish.