Invasive Bacterial Infection Hospitalizations Associated with Injection Drug Use in Allegheny County, PA, 2016-2020Chtourou, Amina (2021) Invasive Bacterial Infection Hospitalizations Associated with Injection Drug Use in Allegheny County, PA, 2016-2020. Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
AbstractIntroduction: In Allegheny County, the frequency of invasive bacterial infections associated with injection drug use is not known. Methods: Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council in-patient hospitalization data from 2016 through 2020 were analyzed. These records were limited to Allegheny County residents hospitalized at acute care facilities. The frequency and percentage of endocarditis, osteomyelitis, skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) sepsis hospitalizations containing IDU-related diagnoses were identified across the time period. Demographic characteristics were observed to determine which populations experience the highest proportion of hospitalizations. Results: There were 562, 506, 2418, and 282 endocarditis, osteomyelitis, SSTI, and S. aureus sepsis IDU-related hospitalizations from 2016 through 2020. The largest percentage of hospitalizations with the presence of an IDU diagnosis code occurred among endocarditis admissions (24.6%) while the smallest percentage occurred among osteomyelitis hospitalizations (7.1%). The percentage of invasive bacterial infections associated with IDU did not vary greatly across the 5-year period. Endocarditis, osteomyelitis, SSTI, and S. aureus sepsis IDU-related hospitalizations were highest among White individuals, persons with opioid use diagnoses, and Medicaid beneficiaries. Age group and sex characteristics differed between the condition types. Length of stay and total charges were highest per S. aureus sepsis IDU-related hospitalizations. Conclusion: Bacterial infections associated with injection drug use are present in small, but important numbers. These findings are relevant in the field of public health due to the substantial percentage of osteomyelitis, SSTI, S. aureus sepsis, and endocarditis hospitalizations associated with injection drug use ranging from 7.1% to 24.6%. Prevention efforts addressing risky injection behaviors, such as the expansion of syringe service programs, hold the potential to reduce the number of invasive bacterial infections associated with injection drug use. Share
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