[Infections and use of antibiotics in nursing homes].

BACKGROUND

The number of elderly people is constantly increasing in the western world. Many of these elderly spend their last years in a nursing home. Long-term care residents frequently have infections. However, there is only limited knowledge with regard to the spectrum of infections and the usage of antibiotics in nursing homes, in Norway and also in other European countries.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Prevalence of infections, risk factors related to infections and antibiotic usage were studied in four nursing homes in Baerum county.

RESULTS

Of all 262 nursing home residents, 8.4% had an infection; 3.4% received antibiotic treatment. 66% of residents were more than 80 years old, 98% had a private room. Of all residents 3.4% had a urinary tract infections, 1.9% a skin infection, 1.1% a respiratory tract infection, and 1.9% an eye infection. 42% of all residents were treated with psychopharmacological drugs. 3.9% had an urinary catheter, and 11% skin ulcers.

INTERPRETATION

Our study did not discover any extraordinary problems with infections or antibiotic overuse in the nursing homes investigated. However, further studies are warranted in order to learn more about this issue in these institutions, which may represent an important but frequently underestimated source of resistant bacteria in a community.