Impact of hospital-related indicators on healthcare-associated infections and appropriateness of antimicrobial use according to a national dataset

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant threat in Europe, and infection prevention and control measures are crucial to reduce their occurrence. This study aimed to describe IPC indicators, HAI prevalence, antimicrobial use, and appropriate antibiotic use in Italy. The results showed substantial heterogeneity between macro-regions. The percentage of single-bed rooms had a significant positive impact on HAI prevalence. The presence of routinely filed IPC plans, prevention measures, and post-prescription review reduced HAIs and inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions. Post-prescription review was a valuable indicator of antimicrobial stewardship policies.