Study explores impact of race, rurality on HAIs

Structural racism and disinvestment in rural communities could affect individual health care-acquired infection risk and outcomes, concludes a JAMA Network Open study. Among patients with HAI admissions, Black rural patients had a heightened risk of intensive care unit admission and death compared with White urban patients. White rural and Black urban patients had similar outcomes to White urban patients. Study authors say reasons for the disparities could include Black and rural White patients arriving sicker at the hospital, having poorer patient-practitioner relationships, and a lack of neighborhood socioeconomic opportunity, transportation systems and health system investment. Future studies should seek to understand why the disparities exist and how to address structural factors through policy and process changes. (CIDRAP news release, 2/4/25)