Falgione, Jennifer
(2024)
Assessing COVID-19 Transmission Risk: Roommate and Unit Mate Exposures at an Inpatient Behavioral Health Facility.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Abstract/Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic caused an upsurge in demand for inpatient mental healthcare. Inpatient psychiatric facilities have an inherently increased risk of infection transmission and a heightened possibility of adverse outcomes among patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of roommate and unit mate exposures on COVID-19 transmission by index cases to inform on the safest isolation practices at an inpatient behavioral health facility.
Methods: This retrospective study evaluated post-exposure COVID-19 test results for roommates and unit mates of patient index cases from July 2020 through August 2023. Electronic health records provided demographics, roommate assignments, unit locations, and testing results. Only inpatient test results recorded during the expected testing timeframe were included in this study. Units and index case exposures where no roommate exposure occurred and exposures with test refusals or discharges before testing during the study period were excluded. Contingency tables were created, stratified by unit location, to display post-exposure test results and relation to the index case. Fisher’s exact or Chi-square tests were conducted for each unit separately.
Results: During the 38-month study period, comprising 139,194 patient days, there were 208 COVID-19 positive patient index cases resulting in 2,594 total exposure events. The conversion rate overall was 10.05%, 24.4% for roommates, and 9.3% for unit mates, with an infection odds ratio of 3.14 (1.42, 6.92). For the unit-stratified analysis, 5 of the 6 included units had higher conversion rates among roommates, with a range of differences in conversion rates ranging from -5.6% to 34.2%. The difference in conversion rates was significant in one unit (Unit K) where the conversion rate for roommates was 33.3% and 7.3% for unit mates (Chi-squared p-value <.0001).
Conclusion: Roommates were observed to have a higher frequency of conversion that was statistically significant in one hospital unit that primarily treats older adults. Additional exposure event observations are needed to ascertain whether this pattern persists across other units, improving the generalizability of the study. Hospital-wide, those who tested positive post-exposure were likelier to be a roommate. Understanding how to care for the greatest number of patients possible safely is of utmost public health importance.
Share
| Citation/Export: |
|
| Social Networking: |
|
Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Glynn, Nancy | epidnwg@pitt.edu | epidnwg | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Snyder, Graham | grs68@pitt.edu | grs68 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Huss, Janina-Marie | tatajx@upmc.edu | UNSPECIFIED | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
3 January 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
11 December 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
48 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
COVID-19; transmission; inpatient psychiatric care; roommate; unit mate; quality improvement |
| Date Deposited: |
03 Jan 2024 14:54 |
| Last Modified: |
03 Jan 2024 14:54 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/45655 |
Metrics
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[img]](http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png)
![[feed]](/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}