Pressure Injury Assessment Tools for Oncology Patients: A Systematic Review

The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the measurement properties of pressure injury risk assessment tools for cancer patients using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) methodology, and to serve as a reference for clinical nurses in their hospital duties when choosing high-quality assessment tools.

A systematic review based on COSMIN methodology.

The English literature in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and the search period ranged from the inception of the database to September 30, 2024.

Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted the data, and evaluated the methodological quality and measurement properties of the included studies.

Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Two tools-the PUSO (Pressure Ulcer Scale in Oncology) and the Cuire scale-demonstrated sufficient evidence of content validity and structural validity, meeting the COSMIN quality standards. None of the studies reported the cross-cultural validity, stability, and measurement error of the assessment tool.

Following the COSMIN assessment, the PUSO and the Cuire were developed using rigorous procedures, ensuring sufficient overall quality for content validity, structural validity, and other measurement properties. We recommend their use across various environments, based on the quantity and content of specific items. The PUSO was recommended for clinical screening, whereas the Cuire scale was deemed more suitable for use in outpatient, community, and scientific research settings. However, these measurement properties are not without flaws, and their clinical application requires further validation.