Abstract:
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) represent a growing public health threat and economic burden, while outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases (EID) have shown a propensity for amplification in hospitals. This dissertation uses a political economy (PE) framework to explore the incentives and disincentives for hospitals to invest sufficient resources in infection prevention and control (IPC). Through the PE lens, it becomes clear that the profit-seeking behavior of the U.S. healthcare industry often runs counter to IPC priorities. Utilizing HAI and EID outbreaks as case studies, this mixed method approach identifies market failures and assesses government interventions that occur when private hospital interests prioritize profit over public health.
