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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Healthcare Workers Not Doing Enough to Inform
Victims of MRSA Staph Infections
Advice to MRSA patients offered by Alliance for
Prudent Use of Antibiotics
Nov. 7, 2007 - Ignore it and it will go away. That
seems to be the attitude of too many in the health care industry who are
failing to be open in their communications about methicillin-resistant
staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that causes the antibiotic-resistant staph
infection sweeping the U.S. According to a national online survey
administered by the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA),
53% of patients diagnosed with MRSA reported that they were given no
information on the condition at the time of their diagnosis.
Most respondents said they were very concerned
about possibly transmitting the infection, but more than 80% of 312
surveyed said they were not counseled by a health care provider on ways
to avoid spreading MRSA to family members.
To fill gaps in their knowledge, respondents
reported turning to the Internet and seeking advice from newspapers,
friends, and family. This lack of patient knowledge could lead to the
spread of MRSA among family members.
The survey data also indicate that lack of
information can cause patients to feel helpless and take extreme,
unnecessary actions. For example, many respondents reported isolating
themselves, sending children to live with relatives, or stopping leisure
activities.
"The survey raises concern about the potential for
MRSA to spread within families when patients aren't armed with better
information," said Dr. Anibal Sosa, APUA.
"But the lack of information is also contributing
to the fear we saw in the patients who were surveyed, and causing some
to take unnecessary steps that can really decrease quality of life for
themselves and their families."
A study by researchers for the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention published earlier this month in the Journal of
the American Medical Association reported that MRSA infections may be
twice as common as previously thought.
In 2005, nearly 19,000 people died in the United
States from the disease, according to the study. In the past two weeks,
two deaths of school- aged children-a high school student in Virginia
and a middle-school student in Brooklyn-have been linked to MRSA.
"What's important is that we arm patients with
information and they understand that there are simple steps they can
take to protect themselves and their families," said Dr. Sosa.
Advice to Patients
APUA offers the following suggestions to patients
diagnosed with an active MRSA infection and their families:
Personal care
● Keep MRSA infections covered, and always wash
your hands before and after changing the dressing on an infection.
● Wash your hands regularly, especially after
being in public places. Wash with soap and warm water for 20 seconds
while rubbing your hands together vigorously.
● Do not attempt to drain an MRSA boil by
yourself.
● Take all antibiotics given to you by your
health care provider as directed, even if the MRSA infection appears to
have gone away.
● When visiting your health care provider, voice
any questions that you have.
Breaking the cycle of transmission
● Do not share towels, razors, or other personal
care products.
● Change towels and sheets regularly, and wash
them in hot water with detergent and bleach before using them again.
● Targeted disinfection of surfaces that may have
come in contact with MRSA infections or surfaces that people frequently
touch is appropriate.
"Everyone needs to understand that MRSA is an
infection that can affect anyone, regardless of how carefully they
practice good hygiene; having it does not mean you are 'dirty,'" said
Dr. Sosa.
About the Survey
The survey was conducted online between August 16
and October 26, 2007. There were 312 respondents, with eligibility
defined by having been formally diagnosed with an active MRSA infection.
Participants were recruited on MRSA discussion boards and through
Google. Limitations of this research include sample bias; only English
speakers visiting MRSA-related web pages were targeted.
About APUA
The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA)
is a not-for-profit public health organization that has been dedicated
to curbing antimicrobial resistance since 1981. APUA works to educate
health professionals and consumers about the importance of proper
antimicrobial usage, to improve access to effective antimicrobial
treatments in developing countries, and to stimulate the development of
new antimicrobial drugs. For more information, go to
http://www.apua.org/.
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