The Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Pressure Injury among Adults at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh

Abstract

Background: Pressure injuries rank among the top five most frequent causes of patient injury worldwide. Usually, these ulcers develop in the body's bony regions where there is a higher chance of pressure and tissue deformation. Pressure injuries are still a common and severely incapacitating ailment, even with advances in medical understanding and the development of efficient therapies and preventative measures. They result in large socioeconomic consequences since they place a heavy load on the healthcare system and the affected individuals. Objectives: To assess the occurrence rate, identify correlated risk factors, and analyze additional indicators related to pressure injuries diagnosed within the care units of King Saud Medical City throughout the study period. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken at King Saud Medical City in Riyadh during the months of August and September 2023. The study focused on patients with newly identified pre-existing pressure injury lesions. Demographic information and associated risk factors were recorded in the study's data extraction sheet after obtaining participants' consent to engage in the research. The study commenced following approval from the institutional review board of king Saud medical city research and Innovation center, Riyadh. The gathered data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 26. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were computed to assess the statistical association, using odds ratio. Significance of statistical association was assured and tested using 95% confidence interval and P-Value of < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 250 patients with pressure ulcers were identified during the study period. Most of the study participants were male, and the mean age of the participants was 59.2 years. The prevalence of pressure injuries in the hospital units included in the study was 18.8%. The sacral region was the most affected site, with 121 patients (48%) having pressure injuries in that area, while 83 patients (33%) had pressure injuries in the gluteal area. The most frequently associated comorbidities were hypertension, present in 140 patients (56%), and diabetes mellitus, present in 123 patients (49.2%). Conclusion: The prevalence of pressure ulcers was high among admitted patients at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh. Primary prevention health promotion programs should be implemented to prevent the occurrence of pressure injuries in our healthcare facilities and the community at large.