Analyses of pressure ulcer point prevalence at the first skin assessment in a Portuguese hospital.

Aim: To analyze the first pressure ulcer risk and skin assessment records of hospitalized adult patients in medical and surgical areas of Aveiro Hospital during 2012 in association with their demographic and clinical characteristics.

Material And Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of electronic health record database from 7132 adult patients admitted to medical and surgical areas in a Portuguese hospital during 2012. The presence of (at least) one pressure ulcer at the first skin assessment in inpatient setting was associated with age, gender, type of admission, specialty units, length of stay, patient discharge and ICD-9 diagnosis.

Results: Point prevalence of participants with pressure ulcer category/stage I-IV of 7.9% at the first skin assessment in inpatient setting. A total of 1455 pressure ulcers were documented, most of them category/stage I. The heels and the sacrum/coccyx were the most problematic areas. Participants with pressure ulcer commonly had two or more pressure ulcers.

Conclusions: The point prevalence of participants with pressure ulcer of our study was similar international literature. The presence of a pressure ulcer at the first skin assessment could be an important measure of frailty and the participants with pressure ulcer commonly had more than one documented pressure ulcer. Advanced age or lower Braden Scale scores or Emergency Service admission were relevant variables for the presence of (at least) one pressure ulcer at the first skin assessment in inpatient setting as well as respiratory, infectious or genitourinary system diseases.