careassociated

Careassociated is an adjective formed from care plus associated, commonly written as care-associated in formal writing. It describes outcomes, conditions, or events that originate in or are linked to the provision of care, rather than occurring independently in the community. The term is most often used in medical and caregiving contexts to indicate a connection to care settings such as hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, or home health services.

In healthcare, care-associated terminology is frequently used to describe adverse events or illnesses that arise during the course of receiving care. The best known example is care-associated infection, which is closely related to the more widely used term healthcare-associated infection (HAI). Care-associated language can also apply to non-infection issues, such as care-associated delirium or care-associated pressure injuries, though precise terminology may vary by discipline and region. It is important to distinguish care-associated conditions from those acquired in the broader community (community-acquired) or from specific settings like hospitals (hospital-acquired).

Usage and style notes: care-associated is typically hyphenated when used as a modifier before a noun (e.g., care-associated risks). In some sources the term may appear as healthcare-associated or facility-associated, depending on scope and tradition. The one-word form careassociated is uncommon and generally discouraged in formal writing.

See also:

- Healthcare-associated infection

- Hospital-acquired infection

- Community-acquired infection

- Long-term care

- Nosocomial infection