Abstract

A study of cost has been performed that considers cases and controls of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) regarding urinary tract infections (UTI) in a public hospital in the south of Chile. To perform the study, 10 cases of UTI were examined, considering the use of a urinary catheter as a risk factor. The study contributes to clarifying the costs of HAI, justifying the investments that can be made in order to prevent HAI in health centers. This study provides the basis to determine the importance not only in preventing infections, but also in the savings that the health system should consider when health centers prevent nosocomial infections.