Factors related to the development of pressure ulcers among new recipients of home care services in Taiwan: A questionnaire study

BackgroundThe development of pressure ulcers (PUs) impacts quality of life among home care (HC) recipients and increases overall healthcare costs.ObjectiveTo understand associated factors for the development of PUs in new HC recipients who received HC services for 4–6 weeks.MethodsThis was a cross sectional study with retrospective medical record review to establish the incidence of pressure ulcers in the HC setting. A total of 220 pairs of caregivers and HC recipients were recruited from five HC agencies in Tainan, Southern Taiwan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information about HC recipients’ demographics, clinical characteristics, risk level of developing PUs, and PUs. We also collected information about the primary caregivers’ demographics, caregiving characteristics, prevention care of PUs, and self-efficacy for PUs prevention care. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify important explanatory factors for the development of PUs among HC recipients after receiving HC services.ResultsThe incidence of PUs among new recipients of HC services for 4–6 weeks was 14.3%. A decrease of developing PUs was associated with: better PUs prevention care of primary caregivers (OR = 0.107); being educated about preventing PUs of primary caregivers during HC recipients’ hospitalization (OR = 0.366); and higher scores of the Braden scale among HC recipients (OR = 0.759).ConclusionsTo decrease the development of developing pressure ulcers in new HC recipients, nurses should educate primary caregivers regarding strategies for preventing PUs during potential HC recipient hospitalization. HC nurses should assess PU prevention care of primary caregivers, in addition to assessing the risk of developing PUs by the Braden scale.