Risk Profiles in Hospitalized Adults Based on Functional Capacity, Pressure Injury Risk, and Fall Risk: A Cluster and...

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Adverse events are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally.
• Functional decline, pressure injuries, and falls are common in hospitalized adults, increasing length of stay and costs.
• Integrated risk profiles for these complications remain underexplored, limiting targeted nursing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop patient profiles based on simultaneous assessment of functional capacity, pressure injury risk, and fall risk in adult inpatients.
• To identify distinct patient groups with varying levels of these interconnected risks.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study involving 2,666 adult inpatients in a Spanish hospital.
• Utilized Barthel, Braden, and Downton scales for data collection within 24 hours of admission.
• Employed hierarchical cluster and k-means analysis for patient classification, with further analysis using multiple correspondence and multinomial logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Three distinct patient profiles emerged: low risk (68.5%), moderate risk (15.4%), and high risk (16.1%).
• The high-risk profile was characterized by severe dependency and elevated risks of pressure injuries and falls.
• Older age, female sex, and higher comorbidity were significantly associated with increased risk profiles (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Hospitalized adults can be reliably categorized into risk profiles using functional capacity, pressure injury risk, and fall risk assessments.
• These integrated profiles can guide nursing strategies, enhance patient safety, and support individualized care planning.
• Profile-based stratification offers a novel framework for data-driven, safety-oriented nursing care and optimized resource allocation.