Determinants of Surgical Site Infection at a Rural Hospital in Northern India: A Prospective Study

Abstract Background: Health care-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant risk to patient safety globally and are acquired during the course of medical care. Recent findings from the World Health Organization’s Clean Care is Safer Care program highlight surgical site infections (SSIs) as the most frequently surveyed type of HAI in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of SSI among patients admitted to a Community Health Centre (CHC) in the Baramulla district and to explore various factors influencing SSI occurrences. Materials and Methods: This prospective Cohort study was carried out at CHC, Chandoosa, Baramulla, over a period of 3 years from October 2019 to October 2022. The study population included all patients who underwent various surgeries during the study period. Data were collected by means of a predesigned semistructured questionnaire. Data were collected in three phases during the preoperative, operative, and postoperative periods, from the day after surgery to the 30 th day after surgery. Results: Out of 402 patients, SSI was detected in 90 patients (22.3%). The mean age of participants was 49 ± 17.3 years. SSI was found to be significantly associated with age, gender, and economic status. Conclusion: Approximately 22% of the patients developed SSI in this study. The study identifies multiple risk factors for SSI in a rural setting. Most of the risk factors are amendable through interventions.