Half of All Infections are Caused by Hospitals, Household Dust, and Kids are Snacking More

Half of all infection deaths are caused by hospitals. Infections are acquired in the course of care.

Carrollton, Texas is a good place to drop dead from cardiac arrest. (15.8% survive vs. 2% in large cities nationally). 

Kids snack on junk food almost continuously throughout the day (about 27% of daily calorie intake).

Do pretty hospitals improve outcomes? Either that, or they are attracting healthier patients, says Healthcare Economist blog.

Comments (6)

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  1. Devon Herrick says:

    If you carry your junk food snacking habit into adulthood, you might someday become a customer of a pretty hospital (unless you suffer a sudden cardiac arrest somewhere besides Carrollton, Texas). I also doubt pretty hospitals really improve health outcomes. But they do attract wealthier (insured) patients.

  2. Virginia says:

    It’s always fun to read about how much disgusting stuff is in dirt. It makes you wonder: Isn’t all of the stuff OUTSIDE your house also made of similar material? And haven’t humans spent the last million years caked in the stuff?

    And since we’re not going to stop dust from forming, why not relax about how “dirty” it is?

  3. Tom H. says:

    Thanks for the advice, Devon. Now I know where I should have my heart attack.

  4. Nancy says:

    On the composition of dust, I think you have told me more than I want to know.

  5. Vicki says:

    Maybe prettier hospitals improve one’s attitude toward life in general, and therefore enhance the will to live.

  6. Linda Gorman says:

    Maybe prettier hospitals are better workplaces and so attract better staff. Note that the article does say staff had big input in the design.

    And maybe the competence of the people providing the care actually matters, contrary to what the engineering way of thinking about health care policy would have one believe.