Prevalence of pressure ulcer and its related factors in elderly patients hospitalized to teaching hospitals in East Guilan

Introduction: Pressure ulcer is a pressure induced tissue injury that can affect the skin, muscle, connective tissue, cartilage, and bone. Pressure ulcer is a painful, debilitating condition that endangers a person's health by increasing mortality and morbidity in terms of length of hospital stay, increasing the rate of infection, and the need for surgical procedures. Pressure ulcers are the third most expensive disease after cancer and cardiovascular diseases. About two thirds of hospital beds are occupied by people ove r ۶۵ years old. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pressure ulcer and its related factors in elderly patients hospitalized at teaching hospitals in Guilan, Iran Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional study in which elderly patients who had been hospitalized for ۲۴ hours or more in the intensive care units, internal and surgical war ds of East Guilan educational hospitals were eligible for the study. Using the available stratified sampling method, ۲۵۰ patients aged ۶۰ years and older were included in our study. Data collection tools included socio demographic and medical profile quest ionnaires and the Braden pressure ulcer risk assessment scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version ۲۲ statistical software. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, Chi square, and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyze data at a significant level of P<۰.۰۵ Results: The prevalence of pressure ulcer in elderly patients hospitalized in teaching hospitals in was ۲۶.۴%. There was a significant relationsh ip between the presence of pressure ulcer with age, length of hospital stay, type of ward, urinary and fecal incontinence, edema, level of consciousness, type of mattress used, connection to mechanical ventilation, position change, sensory perception areas , humidity, activity, and mobility. There was no significant relationship between the presence of pressure ulcer with gender, marital status, and surgical history Conclusion: P ressure ulcer has a high prevalence in hospitalized elderly and it is always accompanied by serious complications. it is better for nurses to check patients regularly a nd prevent its occurrence by controlling significant risk factors.

کلیدواژه ها:

Prevalence ، P ressure ulcers E lderly patients ، R isk factors