Which of the following is an anatomical/phys factor affecting infection risk?

• A. Indwelling devices
• B. Age
• C. Staffing ratio
• D. Duration of invasive procedures

Answer: (B)

Age affects infection risk because aging brings changes in the body's structure and function that make infections more likely. As people get older, immune function can decline (immunosenescence), wound healing slows, skin and mucosal barriers may become thinner or less robust, and chronic diseases become more common. These physiological and anatomical changes directly increase susceptibility to infections, which is why age is considered an anatomical/physiological factor.

Indwelling devices, while increasing infection risk, are foreign objects and represent device-related factors rather than inherent anatomical/physiological factors. Staffing ratio relates to the care environment and resource availability, and the duration of invasive procedures is a procedural exposure risk; neither reflects the patient’s innate anatomy or physiology.