The concept of vulnerability applied to Healthcare-associated Infections

• Main Authors: Maria Clara Padoveze, Luize Fábrega Juskevicius, Talita Raquel dos Santos, Lúcia Izumi Nichiata, Suely Itsuko Ciosak, Maria Rita Bertolozzi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem
• Subjects: Hospital-Acquired Infection; Vulnerability; Nursing; Infectious Disease; Contagious Disease
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-71672019000100299&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Objective: To discuss the potentialities of using the concept of vulnerability to support measures for preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Methods: This theoretical study was conducted in steps: 1) presentation of markers that frame the concept of vulnerability; 2) presentation of the characteristics of the health events to which the concept of vulnerability is intended to be applied; 3) identification of research gaps that could be potentially filled by using the concept of vulnerability; 4) identification of the potentialities of using the concept of vulnerability to deal with HAIs. Results: Proposal of a framework for analyzing HAIs from a vulnerability perspective, including the individual and collective dimensions. Conclusion: Using the concept of vulnerability to study and deal with HAIs favors a new approach to an old problem, unlike the dominant studies that highlight the individual aspects of the practices in healthcare services.