What's the Harm of Contact Precautions?

Although use of contact precautions is a major component of transmission-based infection-control practices, concern remains that they may be associated with unintended consequences. Studies have shown that healthcare providers are significantly less likely to enter the rooms of patients who are placed on contact precautions during hospitalization. However, findings have been conflicting as to whether the practices lead to increased adverse events. To further assess this issue, investigators performed a prospective cohort study in which patients on contact precautions were individually matched to patients not on such precautions.

Of the 296 matched patients, 104 (49 on contact precautions and 55 not) experienced at least one adverse event. Pa…