Table 1 Characteristics of nursing homes and residents participating in the Belgian HALT surveys, 2010-2016

Participating facilities [N]

107

87

158

25

25

25

Ownership [% public]

34.6

43.7

33.5

0.264

48.0

48.0

48.0

1.000

Rooms [median N, (IQR)]

97 (74-123)

94 (73-123)

100 (76-124)

0.603

101 (79-129)

99 (82-133)

99 (82-145)

0.925

Single rooms [%]

85.7

89.3 ***

92.2 ***

<0.001

88.7

90.6 *

90.2

0.069

Beds [median N, (IQR)]

103 (76-144)

100 (76-130)

106 (82-131)

0.592

110 (90-144)

101 (86.5-152)

103 (90-169)

0.941

Infection prevention and control (IPC) resources within the facilities

Person with IPC training available [%]

50.5

65.5 *

71.3 ***

0.002

40.0

72.0 *

84.0 **

0.003

Help and expertise from an external IPC team (e.g. from a nearby hospital) on a formal basis [%]

77.1

77.6

80.3

0.806

79.2

83.3

84.0

0.894

Hand hygiene training in the previous year [%]

74.8

70.9

76.1

0.676

80.0

83.3

72.0

0.615

Surveillance program for HAIs [%]

43.0

39.8

39.7

0.852

44.0

58.3

60.0

0.461

Written protocol available in the NH for

Management of MRSA and/or other MDRO [%]

98.1^b

100.0

100.0

0.092

100.0

100.0

100.0

1.000

Hand hygiene [%]

99.1

97.6

100.0

0.122

100.0

100.0

100.0

1.000

Management of urinary catheters [%]

64.6

63.5

61.2

0.858

70.8

66.7

70.8

0.937

Management of venous catheters/lines [%]

37.8

31.7

30.0

0.464

36.4

36.4

34.8

0.992

Management of enteral feeding [%]

51.6

55.8

47.9

0.506

65.2

52.0

56.5

0.642

Antimicrobial stewardship elements in place in the facilities

Restrictive list of antimicrobials to be prescribed [%]

10.5

14.5

16.1

0.418

8.0

16.7

16.0

0.587

Antimicrobial committee within the facility [%]

2.8

6.0

9.0

0.104

4.0

0.0

12.0

0.112

Annual training on appropriate antimicrobial prescribing provided [%]

11.2

9.5

12.3

0.812

16.0

12.5

20.0

0.775

 A therapeutic formulary, comprising a list of antimicrobials [%]

62.6

70.2

52.3

0.019

80.0

83.3

68.0

0.412

Advice from a pharmacist for antimicrobials not included in the formulary [%]

15.0

20.2

22.6

0.297

24.0

16.7

20.0

0.815

Written therapeutic guidelines present in the NH for

Respiratory tract infections [%]

35.5

56.9 **

49.5 *

0.018

60.0

68.4

78.9

0.399

Urinary tract infections [%]

32.7

59.6 **

54.0 **

<0.001

52.0

61.1

80.0

0.135

Wound and soft tissue infections [%]

43.9

68.4 **

45.4

0.006

56.0

77.8

65.0

0.324

Surveillance of antimicrobial consumption [%]

13.3

23.2

18.9

0.209

29.2

28.0

41.7

0.538

Surveillance of resistant microorganisms [%]

67.0

72.8

59.1

0.092

72.0

75.0

84.0

0.565

NH population characteristics on survey day

Eligible residents [total N (median N; IQR]

11 911

(100; 74-140)

8 756

(93; 67-127)

16 215

(96; 75-122)

0.206

2 804

(106; 89-139)

2 748

(100; 87-136)

2 757

(100; 80-139)

0.977

Age ≥ 85 year [%]

52.9

60.3 ***

56.0 ***

<0.001

52.0

58.7 ***

54.7 *

<0.001

Gender [%]

25.6

24.9

25.5

0.486

27.1

26.7

27.6

0.758

Disoriented (in time and/or space) [%]

49.7

52.5 ***

55.0 ***

<0.001

55.3

56.2

58.1

0.095

Impaired mobility (wheelchair bound or bedridden) [%]

41.7

39.1 ***

38.3 ***

<0.001

45.6

42.4 *

40.9 ***

0.001

Incontinent for urine and/or faeces [%]

61.2

58.9 ***

55.9 ***

<0.001

66.0

61.7 **

63.4 *

0.004

Urinary catheter present [%]

2.4

2.8

3.1 ***

0.003

3.0

3.1

3.0

0.983

Vascular catheter present [%]

0.1

0.3 **

0.3 **

0.002

0.2

0.3

0.3

0.866

Pressure sore [%]

3.3

4.0 *

3.3

0.013

3.1

4.2 *

4.1 *

0.052

Wound other than pressure sore [%]

7.6

8.7 **

9.1 ***

<0.001

7.1

9.4 **

8.9 *

0.005

Surgery in the previous 30 days [%]

1.0

1.4 *

1.0

0.022

0.9

1.7 *

1.0

0.025