Analysis of the prevalence and risk factors of pressure injuries in the hospitalized pediatric population: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Pressure injury (PI) is an essential indicator of the quality of nursing care and affects hospitalized newborns and children. However, studies on the prevalence of PI and associated risk factors in children are limited. Aims: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of PI and risk factors affecting the development of PI in the hospitalized pediatric population. Methods: This was a descriptive, retrospective study. Data were obtained via electronic medical records of 6350 pediatric patients admitted to a university hospital between January 2019 and April 2022. Ethics committee approval was obtained. Patient medical records and data associated with PI and medical treatment were collected through the 'Information Form,' 'Braden Scale,' 'Braden Q Scale,' 'Pressure Ulcer Staging Form,' and 'Pediatric Nutrition Risk Score (PNRS).' Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test, and Multilinear Regression analysis. Results: More patients (66.2%) were males, and 49.2% of the children were 0-12 months old. 2368 out of 6350 pediatric patients were treated in the PICU. It was determined that a total of 143 PI occurred in 59 patients from PICU. The PI prevalence was 2.25% for all patients and 6.04% for PICU patients. Twenty-one percent of the patients had medical device-related PI (MDRPIs), 35.7% of PI occurred in the occiput, 13.3% in the coccyx/ sacrum, and 67.1% of PI was Deep Tissue Injury. In the multiple regression model, children's albumin level, hemoglobin level, PNRS scores, Body Mass Index, and length of hospital stay significantly affected BRADEN scores. They were explained 30.3% of their scores of Braden. Conclusion: Despite the limitations of the retrospective study, the prevalence of PI in the pediatric population in this study was lower than that reported in previous studies, but the prevalence of MDRPIs was higher. Based on the study results, it is recommended to implement preventive interventions for MDRPIs and plan prospective studies.