What is Sepsis?

There are several challenges to increasing awareness of sepsis. These include:

Complex Symptoms: Sepsis symptoms can be quite vague and overlap with other common illnesses like flu or urinary tract infections. This makes it difficult for both the public and healthcare professionals to recognise it early.

Lack of Public Education: Unlike conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, sepsis doesn't receive as much attention in public health campaigns. Many people have never heard of sepsis, despite it being a leading cause of death.

Misconceptions: There are misconceptions about sepsis, such as confusing it with blood poisoning or septicaemia. This can lead to misunderstandings about its seriousness and the need for urgent treatment.

Delayed Diagnosis: Since sepsis progresses rapidly, there's often a narrow window for diagnosis and treatment. Delays in recognising and treating sepsis can lead to severe complications or death.

Inconsistent Documentation: Inconsistent documentation of sepsis which has caused extreme illness, death and morbidity can significantly impact awareness. This creates gaps in data, making it difficult to understand the true prevalence and impact of sepsis and therefore hinder public health campaigns and education. It also impedes the urgency or treatment, research and the development of effective treatment protocols.