The prevalence of pressure ulcers in hospitalised patients in a university hospital in India.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of pressure ulcers in hospitalised patients and any underlying or predisposing factors to ulceration.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study took place in a university hospital in Varanasi, India. A total of 445 patients hospitalised in medical and surgical wards were examined in a single day for the number, site and grade of pressure ulcers. Haemoglobin, serum albumin and blood sugar levels of patients with pressure ulcers were recorded.


RESULTS
The prevalence of pressure ulcers was high (4.94%). Anaemia, malnutrition and diabetes were important risk factors, while morbidity due to pressure ulcers in long-stay wards, such as neurology, was exceptionally high (40.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
Pressure ulcers remain one of the most neglected aspects of health-care provision in India and identifying their associated risk factors at an early stage may go a long way in preventing their occurrence.
Chauhan
V S
VS
Department of General Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Goel
S
S
Kumar
P
P
Srivastava
S
S
Shukla
V K
VK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D015984:Causality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D005947:Glucose