Prevalence of pressure injury among Chinese community-dwelling older people and its risk factors: A national survey based on Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the distribution of pressure injuries among older adults in China and to identify the associated risk factors.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: The identified subjects were collected from 2012 wave of a national Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Older people were defined as being 65 years of age or older. We used chi-square test and binary logistic regression to investigate the risk factors of pressure injury development.

Results: A total of 55 older people were documented as suffering from pressure injuries among 6,961 older Chinese adults, with a prevalence of 0.8%. In the group of disability, the prevalence of pressure injuries from high to low was 3.6% in the highly limited group, 0.4% in the moderately limited group, and 0.3% in the not limited group. The prevalence of pressure injury among older people with stroke, cancer, and dementia were 2%, 4.2%, and 6.6%, respectively. According to the final binary logistic regression analysis, age, disability, incontinence, cancer, and dementia emerged as important risk factors for pressure injury development.

Conclusion: Pressure injury among Chinese community-dwelling aged people was shown to be associated with age, disability, incontinence, cancer, and dementia. As the development of pressure injury may distinctly increase the burden on individuals and healthcare systems, the social and related institutions should actively prevent and control the disease.

Impact: The results of this study will improve the identification of pressure injury among older Chinese people and contribute to the development of effective pressure injury risk management interventions.

Keywords: China; community; nursing; older people; pressure injury; risk factor; risk management.