This study examined if surgical wound infections (SWI) result in a sev
ere prognosis regarding general health and increase the consumption of
social resources. A group of 1301 patients were interviewed by self-a
dministered questionnaires during 1993-1994, while operated during hos
pitalization in seven Danish hospitals. These patients were followed u
p at least once by similar questionnaires at a median time of 5.5 and
10.0 months postoperatively. The consequences of surgically diagnosed
SWI were analyzed in a hospital cohort of 58 infected patients and 648
controls. Postdischarge infections were analyzed in a patient cohort
of 263 cases and 767 controls. Changes in health was measured by the G
eneral Health Questionnaire, Activities of Daily Living index, and sel
f-assessed health. Consumption of resources were estimated by reliance
on assistance from family and friends, use of home services, and cont
acts to doctors. It was found that the long-term prognosis of general
health was unaffected by SWIs. However significantly increased social
dependence was found for patients with SWIs compared to uninfected pat
ients. Almost one-fourth of the operations mere complicated by an SWI.
Most of the infections were recognized only after discharge and were
thought to be of minor importance, which may explain why no chronic im
pairment of the health was found for patients-with an SWI. A bias towa
rd no-effect may have been introduced if patients with severe SWIs abs
tained from participation. The societal cost of care for patients with
minor infections seems to be large. The causal relation between outco
me and SWI needs to be further investigated.