Bed occupancy and turnover interval as determinant factors in MRSA infections in acute settings in Northern Ireland: 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2003.

Summary The following data were obtained from annual hospital statistics in Northern Ireland and from the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Centre (CDSC) Northern Ireland for 2001–2002 and 2002–2003: bed turnover interval (TI), percentage bed occupancy (PO) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus rates per 1000 bed-days of patient episodes [MRSA (PE)]. A significant negative correlation was established ( r =−0.854; P r =0.679; P r =0.621 ( P