SARS-CoV-2 and Wisconsin Nursing Homes: Temporal Dynamics During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Cameron G Gmehlin, Frida Rivera, Jorge A Ramos-Castaneda and 4 others
PMID 34529958WHAT IT FOUND
Wisconsin nursing homes with cases were more often urban and larger early on, but by October rural homes and those with higher star ratings showed increased incidence.
Key findings
01246 nursing homes had at least one case, and there were 2459 cases.
02The overall 5-star rating and its components were not associated with having at least one case.
03Rural homes had fewer cases than urban homes (median 2 vs 3), but later in the pandemic rural homes showed increased incidence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
It did not examine facility testing capabilities or resident demographic and clinical characteristics. It could not account for room occupancy, building age, or ventilation. Data came from mandated CMS reporting, and early reporting errors may have been present. Area deprivation and social vulnerability are community-level measures, not resident-level disadvantage. Only Wisconsin nursing homes were studied, so results may not apply elsewhere. Community transmission was not included in the models.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that rural homes are safer or that higher star ratings prevent outbreaks. The study is observational, and rural and higher-rated homes showed increased incidence later in the pandemic.