["I cannot kiss my wife"- An Analysis of Daily Experiences of MRSA-carriers]

Objectives: There are no data available on the quality of care after discharge from hospital and only limited data are available on the psychosocial effects of being an MRSA carrier within the German health system. Methods: Patients who tested positive for MRSA in the previous year were invited to take part in focus groups. Results: 2 focus groups with a total of 9 MRSA-carriers were conducted. The level of knowledge about MRSA differed between participants. In some cases, lack of information led to uncertainty and inappropriate measures to counteract MRSA. Some participants restricted their social contacts, especially to children, in order to prevent transmission. Patients experienced stigmatization in the health care system more often in inpatient care than in the outpatient sector. Only in a few cases both eradication therapy and swabs for control purposes were carried out. Conclusions: Information about the appropriate treatment and management of MRSA should be made available to patients more easily; in particular, patients need to be informed that MRSA is no threat to healthy individuals. Despite the desire of MRSA-carriers to become MRSA negative, treatment and control of MRSA seem to have low priority in the ambulant health care sector in Germany.