Infection Prevention and Control in Long-Term Care Facilities in Taiwan

Abstract

Long-term care facility residents are mostly elderly and are susceptible to health care-associated infections, especially urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, and skin and soft tissue infections. Based on a survey of 295 Taiwan long-term care facilities in 2011, 22.7% of those facilities held regular infection control meeting every three months. The results indicated institutions managers did not pay enough attention in infection control, and infection control personnel and policies are insufficient. Therefore, Centers for Disease Control in Taiwan began planning for infection control policies for long-term care facilities since 2011. To reduce the infection risk at long-term care facilities and improve the quality of life, control measures including surveillance and inspection regulations and guidelines, public education on the importance of hand hygiene and cough etiquette, publication of infection control manuals, training of infection control personnel, and increasing awareness and responsibilities of institutional managers were implemented.