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Incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers in children
1Texas Christian University Harris School of Nursing, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Insights
This study found low incidence (0.29%) and prevalence (0.47%) of pressure ulcers in children, suggesting they are rare. Separate pediatric studies are recommended to establish best practices for pediatric pressure ulcer care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Wound Care
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Pressure ulcers (PUs) are a significant concern in healthcare settings.
- Data on PU incidence and prevalence in pediatric populations is limited.
- Understanding pediatric PU epidemiology is crucial for targeted prevention and management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers in children.
- To identify factors contributing to PU development in pediatric patients.
- To inform guidelines for pediatric PU research and clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- A national survey was distributed to members of pediatric-specific healthcare databases.
- Data collection involved 55 returned questionnaires with a 25% response rate.
- Analysis included data from 51 questionnaires for prevalence and 40 for incidence.
Main Results:
- The incidence rate of pressure ulcers in children was 0.29%.
- The prevalence rate for pressure ulcers in 1998 was 0.47%.
- Identified contributing factors in children often mirrored those observed in adult PU patients.
Conclusions:
- Pressure ulcers are rare in children, potentially justifying their exclusion from adult-focused studies.
- Separate research is needed to develop specific best-practice models for pediatric pressure ulcer management.
- Further investigation is warranted to understand unique pediatric risk factors and interventions.
Objective:
To determine the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers in children.
Design:
National survey mailed to 234 members of 4 pediatric-specific health care databases.
Participants:
A total of 55 questionnaires were returned (25% return rate). Fifty-one of the questionnaires were suitable for obtaining prevalence data and 40 were suitable for obtaining incidence data.
Results:
The pressure ulcer incidence rate was 0.29% and the prevalence rate for 1998 was 0.47%. Many of the contributing factors cited by participants mirrored those seen in adult patients with pressure ulcers.
Conclusion:
Under the National Institutes of Health guidelines, children can be excluded from pressure ulcer studies that include subjects above age 21 because of the rarity of pressure ulcer development in the pediatric population. However, separate pediatric pressure ulcer studies should be conducted to determine best-practice models for children with pressure ulcers.