Magnitude and factors affecting the development of pressure ulcer among bedridden patients at public hospitals of harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia

Pressure ulcer is a significant health problems but potentially
preventable condition seen most often in high-risk populations
such as elderly persons and critically ill and bed ridden
patients. Data on pressure ulcer are very important for action.
However, there is no current data about it at hospitals in Harari
Region. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the magnitude
and factors affecting the development of pressure ulcer
among bedridden patients at public hospitals of Harari regional
state, eastern Ethiopia
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 235 bedridden
patients who were admitted at least for 4 days in Hiwot
Fana University Hospital and Jugel Hospital. Data were collected
using interview-administered questionnaire; observation
and assessment of patients by standardized tools and review of
medical records. Data was entered and cleaned by using Epidata
software version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for
analyses.
Results: The overall magnitude of patients who developed pressure
ulcer was 35 (16.3%). In this study participant whose age
>65 years old were more likely to develop pressure ulcer than
those participants whose age <46 years old (AOR: 3.81; 95%CI:
1.03, 14.14). Patient who has constantly (AOR: 4.70; 95% CI:
1.04, 21.28) and often moist skin (AOR: 4.41; 95% CI: 1.01,
19.32) were more likely to develop pressure ulcer than patient
whose skin were occasionally moist. Patients who stayed in hospital
for ≥ 7 days were more likely to develop pressure ulcer
than patients who had stayed for <7 days (AOR: 19.63; 95%
CI: 5.97, 64.51).
Conculsion: Prevalence of pressure ulcers was high among old
aged patients, patients with moist skin and patients who stayed
in hospital for long period. Therefore Nurses should improve
the quality of the nursing care for bedridden and critically ill
patients by using risk assessment scale to identify high risk patients
for pressure ulcer development and conducting health
information dissemination for patients and their relatives
about pressure ulcer prevention methods.
Key words: pressure ulcers, bedridden, public hospitals, Harari
regional state

Author(s): FevenTeshome, Myrla O.Mabalhin , Biftu Geda Ethiopia

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