Pressure sores in a Christian Science sanatorium.
We reviewed the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office records of all individuals who had died in a local Christian Science Sanatorium during a 5 1/2-year period. Of 116 such patients, only 13 (11%) had pressure sores (decubitus ulcers). In 10 of these patients, the sores were described as small, superficial, and/or healing, while the other three patients had more serious ulcers. In contrast, for patients dying in nursing homes or hospitals, the incidence of pressure sores may be as high as 54-57%. It is our opinion that the difference in incidence is due to the personal and conscientious nursing care provided by Christian Science institutions.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
J H
JH
Holmes
J M
JM
Guileyardo
J J
JJ
Barnard
V J
VJ
DiMaio
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002834:Christian Science; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology