NONINCREASED RISK OF NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION DURING A 22-DAY HOUSEKEEPING PERSONNEL STRIKE IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND: From April 2-23, 1992, the housekeeping staff of the Unive rsity of Granada Hospital was on strike. Measures were implemented to minimize the effects of the strike on patients' health and especially to diminish the risk of hospital infection. OBJECTIVE: To assess the r isk of nosocomial infection during the housekeeping personnel strike. SETTING: An 800-bed, tertiary care hospital. METHODS: A case-cohort ap proach was used. One hundred forty-eight infected patients (with 184 h ospital infections) were detected prospectively from March 1, 1992, to May 31, 1992. A sample of 459 of the base population (patients admitt ed during the same period) was selected. Information on relevant risk factors for hospital infection was abstracted from patients' clinical charts after hospital discharge. Crude odds ratios and adjusted (by pr oportional hazards model) relative risks (RRs) for the strike period w ere estimated. RESULTS: Risk of nosocomial infection did not increase during die strike period (multiple-risk factor adjusted RR = 0.99, 0.9 6 to 1.01/day of strike). Similar results were observed for major site s of infection (especially surgical wound) and major areas of the hosp ital (including gynecology, surgery, and intensive care). CONCLUSION. We concluded that there was no increase in the risk of nosocomial infe ction during the housekeeping strike (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 19 93;14:706-712).