[A comparative study on the predictive validity among pressure ulcer risk assessment scales].
OBJECTIVE
This study was to compare the predictive validity of Norton Scale(1962), Cubbin & Jackson Scale(1991), and Song & Choi Scale(1991).


METHODS
Data were collected three times per week from 48-72 hours after admission based on the four pressure sore risk assessment scales and a skin assessment tool for pressure sore on 112 intensive care unit(ICU) patients in a educational hospital Ulsan during Dec, 11, 2000 to Feb, 10, 2001. Four indices of validity and area under the curve(AUC) of receiver operating characteristic(ROC) were calculated.


RESULTS
Based on the cut off point presented by the developer, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value were as follows : Norton Scale : 97%, 18%, 35%, 93% respectively; Cubbin & Jackson Scale : 89%, 61%, 51%, 92%, respectively; and Song & Choi Scale : 100%, 18%, 36%, 100% respectively. Area under the curves(AUC) of receiver operating characteristic(ROC) were Norton Scale.737, Cubbin & Jackson Scale.826, Song & Choi Scale.683.


CONCLUSIONS
The Cubbin & Jackson Scale was found to be the most valid pressure sore risk assessment tool. Further studies on patients with chronic conditions may be helpful to validate this finding.
Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Korea.
Young-Hee
YH
Lee
Ihn-Sook
IS
Jeong
Seong-Sook
SS
Jeon