Effectiveness and Core Components of Infection Prevention and Control Programmes in Long-term Care Facilities: a Systematic Review

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections in healthcare settings. There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of IPC programmes in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Aim: To review and analyse the effectiveness and the components of IPC programmes in LTCFs for older adults.

Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane CENTRAL) were searched systematically for English-language articles assessing IPC interventions in LTCFs, published over the last decade (2007-2016). The components of IPC programmes were analysed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) manuals for improving IPC activities. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of studies using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the risk-of-bias assessment tool for non-randomized studies.

Findings: Seventeen studies met the eligibility criteria; 10 studies were randomized trials (58.8%) and the others were non-randomized trials to examine the impact of IPC programmes on infection and/or performance outcomes of healthcare workers. None of the included studies implemented all of the WHO core components. Behavioural change strategies using education, monitoring and feedback were reported to be successful interventions for reducing the threat of healthcare-associated infections. Generally, studies using four or more elements of the WHO multi-modal strategy reported significant reductions in infection rates.

Conclusions: There is some evidence for the effectiveness of IPC interventions using education, monitoring, feedback and four or more elements of the WHO multi-modal strategy to control healthcare-associated infections in LTCFs.