The purpose of this retrospective case-control study was to assess risk factors contributing to hospital acquired methicillin Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) and gain a better understanding of the burden of HA-MRSA infection in patients with spinal cord injuries. The study was also conducted to see if new information would be found on HA-MRSA infections and validate or refute current research for patients in a dedicated spinal cord injury unit at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the study period, the infection control department identified 95 cases of HA-MRSA. Additional data retrospectively collected were basic demographics, admitting diagnosis, presence of varying comorbidities, ASIA score, presence of indwelling medical device, BMI, LOS, MRSA colonization, and quarterly hand hygiene compliance. The patient population was described using appropriate univariate descriptive statistics and crude odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated. The most common sources of infection for cases were ulcer related (31.6%), from skin and soft tissue infections besides pressure ulcers (23.2%), 14.7% were Foley catheter related, 8.4% were blood stream infections and 22.1% were from other sites/sources. Assessment of risk factors for HA-MRSA for spinal cord injury patients in this study found that colonization (OR: 3), device use (Foley OR: 3.3, PICC OR: 39.4, use of both OR: 21.1) , paralysis (1.9), ASIA score A (OR: 4.5), amputee (OR: 3.5), decubitus ulcer (OR: 7.1), length of hospital stay > 30 days (OR: 17.1) and a hand hygiene compliance
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this retrospective case-control study was to assess risk factors contributing to hospital acquired methicillin <em>Staphylococcus aureus </em>(HA-MRSA) and gain a better understanding of the burden of HA-MRSA infection in patients with spinal cord injuries. The study was also conducted to see if new information would be found on HA-MRSA infections and validate or refute current research for patients in a dedicated spinal cord injury unit at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the study period, the infection control department identified 95 cases of HA-MRSA. Additional data retrospectively collected were basic demographics, admitting diagnosis, presence of varying comorbidities, ASIA score, presence of indwelling medical device, BMI, LOS, MRSA colonization, and quarterly hand hygiene compliance. The patient population was described using appropriate univariate descriptive statistics and crude odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated. The most common sources of infection for cases were ulcer related (31.6%), from skin and soft tissue infections besides pressure ulcers (23.2%), 14.7% were Foley catheter related, 8.4% were blood stream infections and 22.1% were from other sites/sources. Assessment of risk factors for HA-MRSA for spinal cord injury patients in this study found that colonization (OR: 3), device use (Foley OR: 3.3, PICC OR: 39.4, use of both OR: 21.1) , paralysis (1.9), ASIA score A (OR: 4.5), amputee (OR: 3.5), decubitus ulcer (OR: 7.1), length of hospital stay > 30 days (OR: 17.1) and a hand hygiene compliance</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Stone, Rebecca B."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Public Health in Community Health Behavior and Education (Dr.P.H.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (open access)","degree_discipline":"Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Robert L. Vogel, Ph.D","Claire Robb, Ph.D.","Stephanie Baer, MD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:41Z","subjects":["ETD","MRSA","Hospital acquired infection","Spinal cord injury unit","MRSA bundle","Hand hygiene","Infection control","Diseases","Epidemiology","Nursing","Public Health"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/872","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Robert L. 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The study was also conducted to see if new information would be found on HA-MRSA infections and validate or refute current research for patients in a dedicated spinal cord injury unit at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the study period, the infection control department identified 95 cases of HA-MRSA. Additional data retrospectively collected were basic demographics, admitting diagnosis, presence of varying comorbidities, ASIA score, presence of indwelling medical device, BMI, LOS, MRSA colonization, and quarterly hand hygiene compliance. The patient population was described using appropriate univariate descriptive statistics and crude odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated. The most common sources of infection for cases were ulcer related (31.6%), from skin and soft tissue infections besides pressure ulcers (23.2%), 14.7% were Foley catheter related, 8.4% were blood stream infections and 22.1% were from other sites/sources. Assessment of risk factors for HA-MRSA for spinal cord injury patients in this study found that colonization (OR: 3), device use (Foley OR: 3.3, PICC OR: 39.4, use of both OR: 21.1) , paralysis (1.9), ASIA score A (OR: 4.5), amputee (OR: 3.5), decubitus ulcer (OR: 7.1), length of hospital stay > 30 days (OR: 17.1) and a hand hygiene compliance
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Epidemiology of Hospital Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in A Veterans Affairs Medical Center Spinal Cord Injury Unit: Fiscal Years 2008-2011"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Robert L. Vogel, Ph.D","Claire Robb, Ph.D.","Stephanie Baer, MD"],"dc:creator":["Stone, Rebecca B."],"dc:date.available":["2014-10-20T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this retrospective case-control study was to assess risk factors contributing to hospital acquired methicillin Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) and gain a better understanding of the burden of HA-MRSA infection in patients with spinal cord injuries. The study was also conducted to see if new information would be found on HA-MRSA infections and validate or refute current research for patients in a dedicated spinal cord injury unit at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the study period, the infection control department identified 95 cases of HA-MRSA. Additional data retrospectively collected were basic demographics, admitting diagnosis, presence of varying comorbidities, ASIA score, presence of indwelling medical device, BMI, LOS, MRSA colonization, and quarterly hand hygiene compliance. The patient population was described using appropriate univariate descriptive statistics and crude odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated. The most common sources of infection for cases were ulcer related (31.6%), from skin and soft tissue infections besides pressure ulcers (23.2%), 14.7% were Foley catheter related, 8.4% were blood stream infections and 22.1% were from other sites/sources. Assessment of risk factors for HA-MRSA for spinal cord injury patients in this study found that colonization (OR: 3), device use (Foley OR: 3.3, PICC OR: 39.4, use of both OR: 21.1) , paralysis (1.9), ASIA score A (OR: 4.5), amputee (OR: 3.5), decubitus ulcer (OR: 7.1), length of hospital stay > 30 days (OR: 17.1) and a hand hygiene compliance
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/872"],"dc:subject":["ETD","MRSA","Hospital acquired infection","Spinal cord injury unit","MRSA bundle","Hand hygiene","Infection control","Diseases","Epidemiology","Nursing","Public Health"],"dc:title":["Epidemiology of Hospital Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus in A Veterans Affairs Medical Center Spinal Cord Injury Unit: Fiscal Years 2008-2011"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Public Health in Community Health Behavior and Education (Dr.P.H.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:41Z"}